Women's Tennis Impresses at Big 12 IndividualsWomen's Tennis Impresses at Big 12 Individuals

Women's Tennis Impresses at Big 12 Individuals

by Aiden Kocol
Tournament Results

WACO, Texas - The UCF women’s tennis team came out swinging to start their fall season, racking up 17 wins over four action-packed days at the Big 12 Individuals this weekend at the Hurd Tennis Center.

Day 1 - Thursday, Sept. 25

The Knights began play early Thursday morning on the doubles courts, as newcomer Vladislava Andreeskaya and Hannah Rylatt battled Cincinnati’s Anastasija Arsic and Tart Kurepa. The duo took care of business swiftly, defeating Arsic and Kurepa 6-4, 6-2.

Seven Knights hit the court for singles play, with Jantje Tilbuerger and Olivia Bergler battling in the blue draw, Rylatt and Marina Gatell competing in the red draw, and Andreeskaya, Jade Psonka, and Lauren Seye rounding things out in the green draw.

Tilbuerger edged out TCU’s Yu-Chin Tsai in a three-set thriller, emerging victorious 6-3, 6(4)-7(5), 7-5. Bergler, meanwhile, dropped a hard-fought match to Houston’s Elizaveta Morozova after a tightly contested first set, falling 7(7)-6(0), 6-1.

In the meantime, in the red draw, Rylatt and Gatell held it down for the Black and Gold, with Gatell taking a 6-2, 7-5 victory over Kansas foe Kinley Vanpelt. Rylatt followed after dropping the first 4-6 to Utah’s Dylan Lolofie, she took the next two with a dominant 6-1, 6-2 victory to win the match.

Andreeskaya secured the final victory of the day, defeating Utah’s Kamea Medora in a tough three sets (6-3, 5-7, 6-2). Psonka dropped 7-5, 6-2 to Cincinnati’s Milica Popovski, while Seye did not participate in the first day of play, taking an automatic loss.

 

Day 2 - Friday, Sept. 26

UCF kicked off day two with an impressive doubles showing as all three teams competing took the win on their respective court. 

Rylatt and Andreeskaya took their second doubles win of the weekend, defeating Utah’s Kamea Medora and Hayley Roberts 6-2, 6-2, while Bergler and Seye took a win from a Utah duo themselves 6-4, 7-5. Psonka and Gatell closed out doubles play, coming out victorious in a tie breaker against Cincinnati’s Chems Doha Zeglouli and Sophie Schouten (7(7)-6(5), 4-6, [10-6]).

Singles began in the consolation competition, where Bergler, Seye, and Psonka each added a win to their weekend tally.

Back in the main draw of the Individual Champions bracket, the remaining four Knights battled to advance, but ultimately came up short by day’s end.

  • Emma Valletta (Utah) def Jantje Tilbuerger (UCF) 7 9 -6 7, 2-6, 6-3 
  • Iva Sepa (Hosuton) def Hannah Rylatt (UCF) 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 
  • Letizia Corsini (TCU) def Marina Gatell (UCF) 7-5, 6-3 
  • Mu Jie Tzeng (Baylor) def Vladislava Andreeskaya (UCF) 6-3, 6-2

Day Three - Saturday, Sept. 27

Beginning at 11:00 AM, the Knights started up their third day of doubles play. Psonka and Gatell took an early loss to TCU’s Cristina Ramos Sierra and Raquel Caballero Chica (6-1, 6-1), while Bergler and Seye followed, falling to hosting Baylor duo Kennedy Gibbs and Na Dong (6-4, 6-2). Rylatt and Andreskaya eventually lost as well, despite their hard-fought first set to Kansas’s Anna Putlina and Yerkezhan Arystanbekova (7-5, 6-2).

Now all in consolation brackets, five Knights took the court for day three of singles. It was a clean sweep for the Knights on Saturday afternoon, with all five competitors topping their competition.

Day Four - Sunday, Sept. 28

After the long weekend of competition, Seye and Bergeler closed things out for the Knights. Bergler fell in her final matchup of the weekend to Houston’s Valeriia Krokhotina 6-1, 6-2. In her first collegiate competition, Seye brought one more win back to Orlando, defeating Utah’s Dylan Lolofie in a swift 6-2, 6-3 match.

UP NEXT
The Knights will be back in action at the Bedford Cup beginning on Friday, Oct. 3rd, concluding Sunday, the 5th.