Rome, Ga. – Lynn University’s women’s tennis tandem of Ulyana Grib and Valeryia Pogrebnyak had a promising start at the 2019 ITA Cup with an opening round victory but would fall in the quarterfinals on Thursday evening. The Fighting Knights have two remaining matches with a chance to finish as high as fifth place.
INSIDE THE TOURNAMENT:
Event: 2019 ITA Cup
Host: Berry College
Location: Rome Tennis Center | Rome, Ga.
Tournament Dates: Oct. 16-19
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HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Lynn’s duo was the top-ranked doubles-team in the field and took down the Southwest Baptist tandem of Diana Cabrera and Constanco Crespo 6-4, 6-2 in the morning.
- Unfortunately, the Blue and White ran into trouble from Tusculum’s squad of twin sisters
- Annie and Caitlin McCullough and dropped their match 6-1, 6-4.
QUOTABLE:
“We simply lost to a better team today and wish Tusculum the best in the next round. Uly and Val did a great job to get to the quarterfinals of the ITA Cup and should be very proud of that.” – head coach Mike Perez
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
- This is Lynn’s first trip back to the ITA Cup since placing third in 2017.
- The Fighting Knights had won back-to-back women’s doubles titles in 2015 and 2016 while winning singles titles in 2013-14.
- Marie Barbier and Monika Mastalirova also won in 2003.
- Each of the four divisional champions (Divisions II, III, NAIA and JUCO) will be automatically entered in the Oracle ITA National Fall Championships, which takes place at the Newport Beach Tennis Club & The Tennis Club at Newport Beach Country Club in Newport Beach, CA.
- Three of the top four seeds in the tournament fell in the quarterfinals. Only Indianapolis’ fourth-seeded Nikol Alekseeva and Anna Novikova advanced.
UP NEXT:
Lynn returns to the courts on Friday, Oct. 18, at 3:30 p.m. when they battle Azusa Pacific’s Petra Ivankovic and Anna Savchenko. For more information, check out LynnFightingKnights.com.
