LAKELAND, Fla. - Earning a pair of wins in doubles early on, coupled with seven more victories during singles play, the Nova Southeastern tennis team opened up its fall season on a high note Friday on day one of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) South Regional Championships.
Doubles Play
Making their NSU debuts, newcomers
Zala Dovnik and
Nika Kozar made relatively quick work of Tampa's Maria Khomchenko and Savannah Williams, picking up an 8-3 win over their Sunshine State Conference opponent.
Reigning SSC Player of the Year
Natalie Espinal and
Chantal Nosievici captured an 8-4 victory against Lieselotte Hartlohner and Mireia Turro of Mobile.
Both doubles pairs will now advance to the Round of 16.
Singles Play
Espinal cruised 6-2, 6-0 in the Round of 64 versus Christian Brothers' Eva Garcia before fighting to a 7-5, 6-3 win in the Round of 32 against Rollins' Alexandra Borg.
Nosievici kicked off her singles season in 6-2, 6-4 fashion versus Embry-Riddle's Alessia Tripaldelli. She then defeated Barbora Cibakova of Lynn by a final of 6-1, 6-4.
It was quite the singles debut for Kozar, as the graduate student blanked Eckerd's Alexis Kwasnik 6-0, 6-0 prior to fending off Auburn Montgomery's Estefania Garcia 6-4, 7-5 in the afternoon.
Dovnik picked up a 6-4, 6-2 win In her match with Eckerd's Ericka Chavarria, yet dropped a heartbreaker in the Round of 32 against Natalie Kohoutkova, 6-4, 5-7, 14-12.
Up Next
The Sharks will look to continue their momentum into Saturday morning's doubles action. For coverage throughout the tournament, follow them on Instagram and Twitter at @NSU_WTennis.
