LAS CRUCES, New Mexico- The Idaho State women's tennis team competed in the ITA Mountain Regionals this past weekend in Las Cruces, New Mexico at New Mexico State University. The Bengals were joined by 20 other schools and universities at this tournament for an individual draw in both singles and doubles play.
Beginning with doubles play, Idaho State had two pairs of doubles competing in the Main Draw. Up first we saw
Asem Shoybek and
Stefanya Shalakhova, as they dropped their opening round match 4-8 to UNLV's Mircheva/Vinahradava.
The next duo of
Millie Day and
Sydney Morris would open the tournament with a 8-1 win over New Mexico's Vandeputte/Matsoukatidi. In the Round of 32 Day and Morris saw their title hopes come to an end as they fell to BYU's Huang/Kovick, 3-8.
In singles play the Bengals had four players competing in two different draws.
In the Qualifying Draw bracket, we saw
Stefanya Shalakhova fall in her first-round matchup against UTEP's Z. Szczepanska, 4-6, 6-4, 2-6. In her first consolation singles match, Shalakhova would down Colorado's W. Gretsch in a tiebreak, 6-2, 5-7, 10-5. In her second consolation match, Shalakhova would fall to P. Freeman of Montana, 4-6, 4-6.
Also in the Qualifying Draw for ISU was
Millie Day. Day would open with a 6-0, 6-7 (3-7), 6-2 win over UTEP's W. Zheng, and follow that up with a dominant 6-1, 6-3 showing over Montana State's K.
Khirwar to advance into the Main Draw bracket. In the Main Draw, Day would fall in her first-round match against Colorado State's V. Zhadzinskaya, 3-6, 2-6. In her consolation match, Day would defeat K. Robinson of Nevada, 6-3, 6-4, but would withdraw in her next match due to injury, ending her tournament run.
Sydney Morris began her singles tournament in the Qualifying Draw, defeating E. Ceinos from Wyoming, 6-7 (5-7), 6-1, 6-3, and followed that up with a 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) win over New Mexico State's N. Nemeth, advancing her to the Main Draw bracket. In her first-round match in the Main Draw, Morris would fall to Denver's C. Martinez de Velasco, 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 3-6.
Asem Shoybek was the final Bengal in singles play, Shoybek would begin in the Main Draw, falling in her opening-round match to Nevada's 6-7, (2-7), 1-6.
Head coach
Gretchen Maloney shared her thoughts on the team's performance at the ITA Mountain Regionals, "Regionals were a bit challenging this year with the weather conditions, however, the girls adapted well.
Sydney and Millie both played very strong in singles in order to advance into the main draw, and had a great win in doubles over a tough New Mexico team in Vandeputte/Matsoukatidi. I am very proud of how they competed this tournament.
The Idaho State women's tennis team will be back in action in the early Spring of 2025.
