Women’s Tennis Wraps Up Play at ITA Southern Regional & Edmonton 35K Pro Circuit

BATON ROUGE, La. – Five women’s tennis team members participated in two tournaments and 25 matches over the past week. Four LSU athletes competed at the Yarbrough Tennis Center in Auburn, Ala., for the ITA Southern Regional. Meanwhile, freshman Cadence Brace competed at the Royal Glenora Club in Edmonton, Can., for the Edmonton 35k Pro Circuit.

 ITA Southern Regional

In the campaign’s opening matches, Carina Holguin lost to Ana Hollweg of McNeese with a score of 1-6, 0-6 in the singles qualifying draw. Indi Patel made her collegiate debut against UAB’s Klara Kajabova. However, the freshman could not rally, falling 0-6, 5-7.

Moving to the consolation qualifying draw, Holguin lost to Ana Martinez Vaquero (Univ. of Louisiana) with a score of 2-6, 1-6. On the other hand, Patel secured her first collegiate victory, moving past Alexa Martinez Mendoza (McNeese), 6-2, 6-0.

In the main draw Round of 64, Kenna Erickson competed valiantly but fell to Mississippi State’s Gianna Oboniye in three sets, 2-6, 6-1, 4-6. Next up, Anita Sahdiieva secured a straight-set victory, 6-2, 6-1, over Julie Bedard of Auburn, while Gaby Rivera dominated Mariia Iordanova (ULM) with a 6-0, 6-1 result.

With competitors dwindling in the Round of 32, Sahdiieva continued her singles run with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Leena Metwally (Troy), and Rivera delivered another strong performance, defeating Gresi Bajri (UAB) with another 6-0, 6-1 score. However, Rivera’s run ended in the Round of 16, losing a closely contested match to Tulane’s Summer Chandler, 6-3, 4-6, 4-6. In the next matchup for the Tigers, Sahdiieva advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Ludmila Kareisova (Ole Miss) but was ultimately defeated by Merna Refaat of Auburn, 2-6, 2-6.

Concluding singles play, Erickson earned a 6-3, 7-5 victory over Hagar Ramadan (Troy) and Mackenzie White (UAB) 7-5, 6-1. Meanwhile, Indi Patel was awarded a 5-0 win against Raquel Alvaro (ULM) due to her opponent being retired, while Carina Holguin lost to Vanja Cado (ULM) 1-6, 2-6.

Switching gears to the doubles bracket, Holguin and Patel were defeated by Alice Brook and Maria Tsironi of LA Tech, 2-8.

Up next in doubles play for LSU were No. 10 Erickson and Sahdiieva, one of the nation’s top doubles pairings. The duo started well, securing an 8-4 win over Lena Karlovcan and Eeva Ristola (North Alabama). Erickson and Sahdiieva continued their strong play in the Round of 16 with an 8-1 victory over Lucie Petruzelova and Brooklyn Olson (Ole Miss). In another dominating showing, they advanced to the semifinals after defeating Auburn’s Ava Esposito Cogan and Alice Battesti 8-1 in the quarterfinals. However, their run would conclude in the semifinal, where they lost a close match to No. 32 Angella Okutoyi and Merna Refaat (Auburn), 2-6, 7-6(7), 10-12.

Edmonton Pro Circuit

Brace faced Amy Zhu in the Round of 32 in her first singles match. Brace started the match strong, jumping to a 5-1 lead before closing the first set 6-2. Zhu attempted a comeback in the second set, leading 2-0 at one point, but Brace battled back, eventually winning the set 6-3 to secure the match.

Brace teamed up with Viktoria Morvayova in the doubles bracket to play against Isabelle Boulais and Fiona Crawley. Boulais and Crawley quickly led, winning the first set 6-2. Brace and Morvayova fought back in the second set and tied the match 4-4, but their opponents won the set 6-4, claiming the match.

Resuming singles play in the round of 16, Brace faced Victoria Gomez O’Hayon. The first set was closely fought, with both players trading games early. Brace pulled ahead to 4-2, but Gomez leveled it at 4-4. Brace responded by taking the next two games to win the set 6-4. The second set remained an even contest, with Brace overcoming multiple ties and leading 5-4 before clinching a 7-5 victory, advancing to the quarterfinals.

In the quarterfinal match, Brace played against Julie Belgraver. Belgraver took an early 3-0 lead, but Brace fought back to make it 3-2. However, Belgraver won the first set 6-3. Brace would then take five consecutive games in the second set to win the set 6-1. In the deciding set, Brace took a 2-0 lead, but Belgraver would eventually take the set 6-3.

Edmonton Results

Wednesday, Oct. 9
Cadence Brace def. Amy Zhu 6-2, 6-3
Isabelle Boulais & Fiona Crawley def. Cadence Brace & Viktoria Morvayova 6-2, 6-4

Thursday, Oct. 10
Cadence Brace def. Victoria Gomez O’Hayon 6-4, 7-5

Friday, Oct. 11
Julie Belgraver def. Cadence Brace 6-3, 1-6, 6-3

ITA Regional Results

Thursday, Oct. 10
Q1 Ana Hollweg (McNeese) def. Carina Holguin (LSU) 6-1, 6-0
Q1 Klara Kajabova (UAB) def. Indi Patel (LSU) 6-0, 5-7
CON Ana Martinez Vaquero (Univ. of Louisiana) def. Carina Holguin (LSU) 6-2, 6-1
CON Indi Patel (LSU) def. Alexa Martinez Mendoza (McNeese) 6-2, 6-0

Friday, Oct. 11
Doubles
R64 Alice Brook/Maria Tsironi (LA Tech) def. Indi Patel/Carina Holguin (LSU) 8-2
R32 Kenna Erickson/Anita Sahdiieva (LSU) def. Lena Karlovcan/Eeva Ristola (North Alabama) 8-4
Singles
R64 Gianna Oboniye (Miss. St.) def. Kenna Erickson (LSU) 6-2, 1-6, 6-4
R64 Anita Sahdiieva (LSU) def. Julie Bedard (Auburn) 6-2, 6-1
R64 Gaby Rivera (LSU) def. Mariia Iordanova (ULM) 6-0, 6-1
CON Vanja Cado (ULM) def. Carina Holguin (LSU) 6-1, 6-2

Saturday, Oct. 12
Doubles
R16 Kenna Erickson/Anita Sahdiieva (LSU) def. Lucie Petruzelova/Brooklyn Olson (Ole Miss) 8-1
Singles
R32 Anita Sahdiieva (LSU) def. Leena Metwally (Troy) 6-3, 6-3
R32 Gaby Rivera (LSU) def. Gresi Bajri (UAB) 6-0, 6-1
R16 Anita Sahdiieva (LSU) def. Ludmila Kareisova (Ole Miss) 6-3, 6-1
R16 Summer Chandler (Tulane) def. Gaby Rivera (LSU) 3-6, 6-4, 6-4
CON Kenna Erickson (LSU) def. Hagar Ramadan (Troy) 6-3, 7-5

Sunday, Oct. 13
Doubles
QF Kenna Erickson/Anita Sahdiieva (LSU) def. Ava Esposito Cogan/Alice Battesti (Auburn) 8-1
Singles
QF Merna Refaat (Auburn) def. Anita Sahdiieva (LSU) 6-2, 6-2
CON Kenna Erickson (LSU) def. Mackenzie White (UAB) 7-5, 6-1

Monday, Oct. 14
SF Angella Okutoyi & Merna Refaat (Auburn) def. Kenna Erickson & Anita Sahdiieva (LSU) 6-2, 6(7)-7, 12-10

For more information on the LSU women’s tennis program, follow the Tigers on Twitter @lsuwten, Instagram @LSUWTen, and Facebook.com/lsuwten.