FORT WORTH – Senior Nayuma Subba and freshman Anna Maria Kurstikashvili posted impressive victories to highlight the play of the Sam Houston women's tennis team at the annual ITA Regional Championships hosted by TCU last weekend.
The performances came at an event that featured each of the state's top women's programs including Texas A&M, Texas, Texas Tech and Baylor, squads that finished ranked Nos. 2, 13, 14 and 24 nationally last spring.
Subba defeated Audrey Deatherage of Texas 6-0 6-0 in the opening round of singles. The senior from Kanagawa, Japan, topped Matina Adati of North Texas 6-2 6-2 in the second round. After a close 3-set loss to Carolina Ladner of North Texas, Subba topped off her weekend with a 2-6 6-3 1-0 (11-9) victory versus Sofia Selle of UT Arlington.
In doubles freshman Kurtsikashvili of Tbilisi, Georgia paired with Subba for an 8-5 victory over Amelia Perez and Victoria Salcedo from UIW. The two followed up with an 8-6 win versus Ayra Salim and Vasiliki Milosavljevic from UTSA 8-6.
"The fall ITA championships features the toughest field of any women's college tennis event in the state," Hubbard said. "All of the top Division I players in Texas are there every fall. It is a marvelous opportunity for our young team to experience."
Next up on the Sam Houston fall tournament schedule is the eighth annual Bearkat Invitational to be held this Friday, Saturday and Sunday October 17-19 at the Chuck and Wanda Beckner Tennis Center on the Sam Houston campus.
Long rivals Lamar, Stephen F. Austin and Northwestern State will tangle with the Kats in a flighted tournament with action at the one through six singles positions and one, two and three doubles.
"Hosting a fall tournament on our campus is always exciting. We invite fans to come out and watch the action here in Huntsville," Coach Hubbard said.
ITA REGIONALS SINGLES
First Round
Nayuma Subba, SHSU def. Audrey Deatherage, Texas 6-0 6-0
Juliette JaLai, A&M-Corpus Christi def. Jacqueline Scnabel, SHSU 6-4 6-4
Iva Sepa, Houston def. Anamaria Kurtsikashvili, SHSU 7-5 6-4
Second Round (32)
Nayuma Subba, SHSU def. Matina Adati, North Texas 6-2 6-2
Third Round
Carolina Ladner, North Texas def. Nayuma Subba, SHSU 5-7 6-4 6-2
Consolation
Luciana Paez, UIW def. Jacqueline Scnabel, SHSU 7-5 2-1 retired
Anna Oreshchenkova, Texas Tech def. Anamaria Kurtsikashvili, SHSU 6-4 6-1
Nayuma Subba, SHSU def. Sofia Selle, UTA 2-6 6-3 1-0 (11-9)
Tomi Main, TCU def. Nayuma Subba, SHSU 6-0 7-6 (5) Conso Rd 16
ITA REGIONALS DOUBLES
First Round
Marissa Minetti/Ximena Morales, Tarleton def. Kurtsikashvili / Nayuma Subba, SHSU 8-5
Consolation
Anna Maria Kurtsikashvili / Nayuma Subba, SHSU def. Amelia Perez / Victoria Salcedo, UIW 8-5
Anna Maria Kurtsikashvili / Nayuma Subba, SHSU def. Ayra Salim / Vasiliki Milosavljevic, UTSA 8-6
Marissa Minetti / Ximena Morales, Tarleton def. Anna Maria Kurtsikashviti, SHSU 8-5
