TCU
Midland Invitational
TCU Competes at Fall Opener in Midland
9/18/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Sept. 18, 2011
MIDLAND, Texas - TCU's women's tennis team had a solid start to the fall season over the weekend at The Racquet Club Collegiate Invitational with freshman Simona Parajova advancing to the finals of the main draw.
Parajova advanced to the championship finals Sunday after knocking off Texas Tech's Kenna Kilgo in the semifinals, 6-4, 6-3. The win came after Parajova cut her hand opening a can of tennis balls prior to the match. She eventually fell in the finals after her backhand was affected by the injury.
"She caught some bad luck cutting her hand before the match," TCU coach Dave Borelli said. "She cut it pretty good and she still played in spite of it and won her semifinal match. Unfortunately, it caught up with her in the finals, but she showed a lot of determination because a lot of players would have withdrawn with that type of injury."
TCU landed two in the semifinal round as freshman Stefanie Tan advanced via straight-set wins in the round of 32 (6-2, 6-2 over Nikki Sanders of Texas Tech), round of 16 (6-3, 6-2 over Dominique Harmath of Rice) and in the quarterfinals. She fell in the semfinal round.
"Stefanie was in a position to win the match, but she just kind of let it slip through her hands," Borelli said. "She got a bad break with a call and that got to her a bit, but she showed a lot of maturity and I was very pleased with the way she played."
Millie Nichols dropped her first match of the main draw in the round of 32 when she fell to Kilgo, 6-3, 6-3. After falling in that match, though, Nichols bounced back to win the consolation back draw.
"Millie had a great summer and I think she just put a little too much pressure on herself to start the tournament," Borelli said. "I really like how she approached the consolation draw to go win it. She stayed hungry after losing that first match."
Kelsey Sundaram was knocked off in the round of 32 at the hands of the tournament's No. 3 seed, Madeleine Geibert of Nebraska. In the 6-1, 7-6, decision, Sundaram had a set point in the second set, but was unable to convert. Federica Denti also fell in the round of 32, dropping a 6-2, 6-7, 7-6 decision to fourth-seeded Anastasia Erofeeva of Tulsa.
"I think if Kelsey could have won that second set, she would have gone on to win the match," Borelli said. "Federica lost a tough match too, but she battled as always."
In doubles play, Nichols and Olivia Smith, who battled an abdominal strain throughout the weekend, advanced to the championship semifinals before bowing out to Geibert and Stefanie Weinstein of Nebraska, 8-2.
"All in all for the weekend, I was very impressed," Borelli said. The freshmen are going to be stronger than I had anticipated and they showed a lot of maturity. The two transfers are very strong and our returners played well despite one fighting a tough injury. The tournament gives us an indication that we're going to be a solid team and tough to beat. We won six matches against Pepperdine on Saturday and they're a top-25 program once again."
The Racquet Club Collegiate Invitational - Midland, Texas
SINGLES
Round of 64
Federica Denti (TCU) def. Megan Moore (Pepperdine), 6-4, 6-4
Kelsey Sundaram (TCU) def. Giada D'Ortona (UTA), 6-1, 6-4
Round of 32
Stefanie Tan (TCU) def. Nikki Sanders (Texas Tech), 6-2, 6-2
Simona Parajova (TCU) def. Maria Sablina (New Mexico), 6-0, 6-3
Whitney Wolf (LSU) def. Olivia Smith (TCU), 6-4, 6-4
Anastasia Erofeeva (Tulsa) def. Denti (TCU), 6-2, 6-7, 7-6
Madeleine Geibert (Nebraska) def. Sundaram (TCU), 6-1, 7-6
Kenna Kilgo (Texas Tech) def. Millie Nichols (TCU), 6-4, 6-2
Round of 16
Tan (TCU) def. Dominique Harmath (Rice), 6-3, 6-2
Parajova (TCU) def. Natalia Mayuk (UTA), 6-2, 6-2
Quarterfinal Round
Tan (TCU) def. Lorraine Guillermo (Pepperdine), 6-3, 6-1
Parajova (TCU) def. Khunpak Issara (Pepperdine), 7-6, 7-6
Semifinal Round
Parajova (TCU) def. Kilgo (Texas Tech), 6-4, 6-3
Alejandra Granillo (Pepperdine) def. Tan (TCU), 7-5, 2-6, 6-3
Championship Finals
Alejandra Granillo (Pepperdine) def. Parajova (TCU), 6-2, 6-1
Consolation Round of 16
Nichols (TCU) def. Ewa Szatkowska (Tulsa), 6-4, 6-2
Consolation Quarterfinals
Nichols (TCU) def. Laura Mongin (Abilene Christian), 6-1, 6-0
Consolation Semifinals
Nichols (TCU) def. Maria Martinez (UTA), 6-3, 6-0
Consolation Finals
Nichols (TCU) def. Sam Vickers (Tulsa), DEFAULT
DOUBLES
Round of 32
Denti/Parajova (TCU) def. Alyssa Caffey/Kristin Eggleston (UNM), 8-0
Round of 16
Nichols/Smith (TCU) def. Ariel Morton/Yvette Vlaar (LSU), 8-3
Samantha Adams/Kenna Kilgo (Texas Tech) def. Sundaram/Tan (TCU), 8-2
Lorraine Guillermo/Khunpak Issara (Pepperdine) def. Denti/Parajova (TCU), 8-4
Quarterfinal Round
Nichols/Smith def. Arianna Colffer/Alejandra Granillo (Pepperdine), 8-4
Semifinal Round
Madeleine Geibert/Stefanie Weinstein (Nebraska) def. Nichols/Smith (TCU), 8-2
Players Mentioned
