Southeast Missouri State University student publication

Tarajova makes Round of 32s at ITA Regional

Monday, October 22, 2018
Freshman Romana Tarajova warms up during a practice in Cape Girardeau.
Photo by Josh Russell

Freshman Romana Tarajova made her way to the Round of 32s in the singles main draw in the 2018 Intercollegiate Tennis Association Central Regional in Iowa City on Oct. 14.

Tarajova was seeded in the top 32 and received a qualifying round bye and played her first match against the University of Missouri’s Taylor Gruber on Saturday in the Round of 64s. Tarajova defeated Gruber in three sets by scores of 5-7, 6-2 and 6-3.

She then went on to play against the University of Oklahoma’s Martina Cappuro in the Round of 32s on Sunday. Tarajova was able to keep the match close throughout, but ultimately fell to Cappuro by scores of 5-7, 7-5 and 6-3.

Southeast coach Mary Beth Gunn spoke highly of Tarajova’s performance over the weekend.

“She played fantastic this weekend,” Gunn said. “When she made it to the Round of 32s, she almost won that match. We were one or two points off from winning that match. She’s competing at a very high level, and we’ve been working hard at practice.”

Gunn later voiced her excitement for where the team is at and where it is headed.

“We have a very strong program this year,” Gunn said. “We had a very strong recruiting class coming in, so it’s really helped add depth to our team. We have freshman that are coming in able to compete in the lineup, so that’s really helping grow our program.”

Junior Kseniya Zonova made it past both of her qualifying matches to get to the Round of 64s. She defeated Thea Dassy of the University of Missouri - Kansas City in three sets, winning 2-6, 6-1 and 10-8. She then went on to beat Mariluz Rojo Domingo of Saint Louis University 7-6 and 6-4.

Zonova fell 2-6, 2-6 to Tiffany Huber of Minnesota in the Round of 64s. She won both of her consolation singles matches Sunday. She defeated North Dakota’s Isa Sullivan, 6-3 and 6-4, and later beat Arkansas State’s Shelby King, winning 3-6, 7-5 and 10-2.

Sunday also served as a day of victories for the freshmen Sneha Sinha and Teona Velkoska, as well as senior Isabella Krupa.

Sinha dropped the first set to Alba Salinas of Saint Louis before rallying to win in three sets, 3-6, 6-1 and 10-7.

Velkoska held on to beat Missouri State’s Mara Prescot 6-2, 2-6 and 10-7, and went on to play Oklahoma’s Nina Jabrzemski. Velkoska fell to Jabrzemski 6-3, 4-6 and 10-7.

Krupa put together a sweep of Arkansas State’s Amelia Guevremont, defeating her 6-2 and 6-2.

In extra singles matches, senior Anais Emelie was swept by Iowa’s Danielle Bauers, falling 2-6 and 3-6. Sinha defeated Missouri State’s Clara Gandara Gonzalez in three sets, winning 6-4, 4-6 and 11-9. Krupa swept Fati Khamissi of Missouri State, taking both sets 6-1.

In doubles play, Krupa and Velkoska found success in the qualifiers, beating ORU’s Gorana Kadijevic and Cece Cornelius 8-7 (3). They went on to lose to the duo of Ashley Ishimura and Sarah Wilcox of Creighton 8-2.

Freshmen Manuela Barriga and Tarajova paired as well, but fell to South Dakota’s Natalie Kmoskova and Jana Lazerevic 8-2.

Zonova and Sinha went straight to the doubles main draw, but were defeated by Oklahoma’s Cappuro and Camila Romero by scores of 8-7 and 7-5.

Redhawks tennis will travel to Springfield, Missouri, to partake in the Missouri State Fall Invitational from Oct. 26 to 28.

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