Cash Advances to Semi Finals at Regional Championships
October 28, 2008 | Women's Tennis
Oct. 28, 2008
Philedelphia, Penn. - Boston College Women's Tennis competed at the ITA East Regional Championships hosted by the University of Pennsylvania over the weekend. The championships included 60 teams and the East Regions best 128 to players. The Eagles qualified 6 singles players for the tournament which is the most allowed by ITA rules.
Senior Lana Krasnopolsky, who was the sixth seed, got a first round bye and played her first match against Ashley Moore from Howard University. Krasnopolsky defeated her opponent 6-1, 6-2 advancing to the round of 32 where she met Shephanie Nunic from Boston University. Krasnopolsky reinforced her status as one of the elite players in the East by rallying for an impressive three set 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 comeback. Next up in the round of 16 for Krasnopolsky was ACC opponent and rival Amanda Rales. Krasnopolsky, who won the flight one singles draw at the USTA Women's College Invitational in New York two weeks ago continued her winning streak to the quarterfinals with a straight set 6-2, 6-2 win. This set up a rematch of last year's regional quarterfinals against Ragini Acharya of William and Mary. Krasnoposky dropped a hard fought 6-4, 6-3 match.
Fellow senior Lauren Cash in the first round, avenged a loss to Yale's Lindsay Clark three weeks ago at the USTA Invitational with a straight set 6-3, 6-1 win. In the round of 64, Cash defeated # 17 seed Karoline Soor from Marshall 5-7, 6-3, 6-0. The three set win placed Cash in the round 32 against #11 seed Virginia Tech's Inga Beerman. Cash handed her ACC rival a loss in straight sets, winning 6-2, 6-4 and she advanced to the round of 16 against the #4 seed Kate Kosminskaya from the tournament's host school UPenn. Cash defeated the host school favorite and moved into quarter finals with a convincing 6-2, 6-2 win. In the quarterfinals she faced the # 5 seed Jennifer Stevens from UVA. Cash controled the highly anticipated match winning 6-1, 6-2 to advance to the semi finals.
Since the realignment of the East Region that now includes approximately 80 Division One teams, no BC player has ever advanced this far. Facing Bianca Aboubakara from Brown University. Cash held a 4-2 lead in the third before Aboubakara rallied for a 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 win.
Also, posting a solid outing for BC at the Championships was Freshman Katarina Gajic. Gajic had a strong showing in her first match of the tournament defeating Elise Derose of Colgate 6-0, 6-2. This set up a Sunday night match on a featured court in front of a big crowd against fellow freshmen and #17 seed Lindsey Hardebergh from UVA. Gajic put on an strong offensive performance that will make her a factor in future matches, but ended up dropping a heartbreaker in the third set tie breaker 3-6,6-4, 7-6(2).
Katharine Attwell also had an impressive tournament winning her first match against Maryland's freshmen Jordan Hansbrough 6-1, 6-2.
Alina Sullivan also qualified for the championships and had some impressive doubles wins. Teaming with partner Gajic, Sullivan went 3-1 doubles action.
Also qualifying for the Championship was Senior Captain Dasha Cherkasov. However,she did not make the trip due to a leg injury.
Overall, BC went 10-5 in singles matches and 5-2 in doubles play.
The Eagles have finished the fall portion of their schedule. They resume play in the dual match season that begins against Yale University in New Haven on January 24th.
