University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Advance At ITA Central Region Championship
10/22/2010 12:00:00 AM | Tennis
The four Gophers in Arkansas are Alessandra Ferrazzi, junior Magdalena Wiecha, sophomore Alexa Palen and freshman Natallia Pintusava. All four are playing in the 64-player singles draw and Ferrazzi and Palen are teaming up for doubles play, as is Wiecha and Pintusava.
Ferrazzi beat Manca Krizman of Drake in the first round and then defeated Tulsa's Ena Seatkowska to advance to the round of 16. Pintusava joins Ferrazzi in the round of 16 after victories against Kansas State's Karla Bonacic and Tulsa's Joanna Karaitiana.
Wiecha knocked out defending champion Ana-Maria Constantinescu of Oklahoma in the first round before falling to Oklahoma State's Sarah Meghoufel. Palen dropped Missouri's Jamie Mera in the first round, but then was felled by Oklahoma State's Sasha Belova.
Ferrazzi and Palen, who recently won the top doubles flight at the Wildcat Invitational, received a first-round bye this week. They then beat Allison Burkhartt and Leyla Simmons of Oklahoma State 8-2 to advance to the round of 16 where they will play Bonacic and Petra Niedermayerova from Kansas State.
Wiecha and Pintusava won the doubles title in the second flight at the Wildcat Invitational and also received a first round bye this week. They defeated Janie Nowland and Biljana Miloshevska 8-2 to advance to the round of 16 where they will meet Malika Rose and C.C. Sardinha of Oklahoma State.
