NOTRE DAME, Ind.--- The University of St. Francis women's tennis program claimed its second Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) individual regional title in program history on Friday as two members of the team and one from the men's program competed in the week-long (Sept. 10-13) Central-East Regional Small College Championships hosted by Holy Cross College. Capturing the crown was junior Anna Bintsarovskaya, who now earns a bid to the ITA Cup to face the other regional qualifiers at the completion of the fall season. The tournament will take place in Rome, Ga. from October 10-13.
Bintsarovskaya and senior Gabriella Noa both earned opening-round byes on the first day of singles play at the tournament. Noa would fall in the second round of action 7-6, 6-3, while Bintsarovskaya advanced to the quarterfinals by defeating Olivet Nazarene University's Chieh Yu - Chen 6-3, 6-1.
In the quarterfinals, Bintsarovskaya emerged victorious again by earning 6-4, 6-0 marks against Holy Cross' Sofia Carvalho Rocha. The two-time NAIA All-American would then clinch a spot in the finals by defeating Holy Cross' Jamison Geoffreys 6-3, 6-4. This created a finals matchup with Missouri Baptist's Luana Luersen, where Bintsarovskaya emerged victorious by 6-2, 6-0 counts to advance to the ITA Cup.
In women's doubles action, Noa and Bintsarovskaya cruised to a first-round victory, winning their match 8-1 over Holy Cross' Geoffreys and Emery Porter. They would fall short in the second round 8-6, however, against Holy Cross' Leah Gonzales-Edwards and Victoria Savvides.
For the men, Jedriel Bondoc was the lone competitor for the Saints. He would face a tough first-round matchup in singles play against Missouri Baptist University's Strahinja Radanovic, dropping a 6-0, 6-2 decision. From there, he moved on to the consolation bracket, where he lost to Judson University's Niel Hentrich 8-2.
Next Up
Both tennis teams will return to action on September 21 when they travel to Chicago Heights, Ill. to compete in a tournament hosted by Prairie State College. The event is slated to begin at 10 am.
You can keep up with everything happening around USF Athletics on X @USFSaints.
