FLUSHING MEADOWS, NY - The Maryland women's tennis team started the fall season out strong, with four Terps making it to the finals of their singles flights, and newcomers Jojo Bach and Francesca Feodorov taking home titles.
"I'm very pleased with how the whole team competed this weekend," head coach Katie Dougherty said. "The team really stepped up and we had a very strong showing with four players competing in their respective championships. Both the returners and newcomers showed great poise and have created strong momentum to start the fall."
Senior Vera Markovic started day one strong for Maryland, taking down Saychelle Balog of Cornell in straight sets, 7-6, 6-2 in the Albany singles bracket. Markovic continued her winning streak into day two, defeating Jasmine Maduel of Long Island University (LIU). The Terp battled it out in the championship round, ultimately falling in a close three-setter to LIU's Selin Sepkin 3-6, 6-3, 5-10.
Selma Cadar picked up her first win as a Terp after defeating Rocio Safant of Charlotte in the Queens bracket, 6-3, 6-3. Cadar had a successful day two, taking down Gavriella Smith of Penn in similar fashion, 6-3, 6-3. After finding herself in the championship match, Cadar put up a tough fight against Yale's Mirabelle BrettKelly, but fell 0-6, 4-6.
In her first collegiate match, Francesca Feodorov took down St. John's Camil Ordonez 7-6(0), 6-1. Feodorov saw another victory on day two, defeating Carolyn Brodsky of Columbia 6-3, 6-7(4), 10-1, sending her to the championship of the Long Island bracket. Feodorov brought home Maryland's first singles title of the weekend, taking the first set 6-0 against Columbia's Sophie Raiszadeh before she retired.
Bach picked up her first win for Maryland in the Staten Island bracket on Friday, coming out on top of Cornell's Fatima El Ashram in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1. Bach continued her winning streak over Syracuse's Miyuka Kimoto in dramatic fashion, punching her ticket to the championship with a 6-7(5-7), 6-3, 10-5 victory. On day three, Bach sealed the deal and took home Maryland's second singles title of the weekend after defeating Penn's Amanda Chan 7-6, 6-7, 10-1.
Newcomer Mary Brumfield picked up her first collegiate win over Big Ten foe Nastasya Semenovski 6-4, 4-6, 12-10 in the Bronx bracket, but fell in the semi-finals against St. John's Mouna Bouzgarrou 4-6, 6-7. Sophomore Minorka Miranda also saw a day one victory, taking down Cornell's Alexandra Savu in straight sets, 6-1, 6-3. Miranda was then defeated in the semis in a three-set battle against Columbia's Clarine Lerby 3-6, 1-6.
The Terps saw success in doubles, with two teams taking down opponents. Brumfield along with Feodorov defeated Saravanan and Badawi of NJIT 6-2, while Marta Perez Mur and Miranda took down Cornell's Adiaconitei and Stein 6-3. The Cadar and Bach team picked up a win for the Terps to head to the consolation final, defeating El Ashram and Nguyen of Cornell 6-1.
Maryland will return to College Park to host the Bedford Cup, Sept. 24-26, at the Junior Tennis Champions Center.
RESULTS
Day 1 - Singles
Markovic def. Balog (Cor) 7-6, 6-2
Cadar def. Savant (49ers) 6-3, 6-3
Feodorov def. Ordonez (St. Johns) 7-6(0), 6-1
Bach def. El Ashram (Cor) 6-2, 6-1
Brumfield def. Semenovski (Wisc) 6-4, 4-6, 12-10
Miranda def. Savu (Cor) 6-1, 6-3
Bhan (Col) def. Perez Mur 6-2, 4-6, 6-10
Day 1 - Doubles
Brumfield/Feodorov def. Saravanan/Badawi (NJIT) 6-2
Perez Mur/Miranda def. Adiaconitei/Stein (Cor) 6-3
Lerby/Xu (Col) def. Cadar/Bach 3-6
Day 2 - Singles
Markovic def. Maduel (LIU) 6-4, 4-6, 10-4
Cadar def. Smith (Penn) 6-3, 6-3
Feodorov def. Brodsky (Col) 6-3, 6-7(4), 10-1
Bach def. Badawi (NJIT) 7-6(4), 6-3
Bouzgarrou (St. Johns) def. Brumfield 3-6, 6-3, 5-10
Lerby (Col) def. Miranda 3-6, 1-6
Day 2 - Doubles
Roshkoff/Gallo (Penn) def. Brumfield/Feodorov 5-7
Kanapatskaya/Fonte def. Perez Mur/Miranda 3-6
Cadar/Bach def. El Ashram/Nguyen 6-1
Day 3 - Singles
Sepkin (LIU) def. Markovic 3-6, 6-3, 5-10
BrettKelly (Yale) def. Cadar 0-6, 4-6
Feodorov def. Raiszadeh (Col) 6-0 (ret.)
Bach def. Chan (Penn) 7-6, 6-7, 10-1
