Both Award and del Mar Sarda Marti advance on Day 1 of weather-riddled ITAs
The top returners from a year ago punch their ticket to Day 2 of the ITA Southeast Regional
SUMTER, S.C. – Hala Awad and Maria del Mar Sarda Marti top the headlines in a strong opening day of the ITA Fall Southeast Regional. The top two in Nathan Gangelhoff's squad both moved on to the Round of 32.
"Our women's players were great today, had great energy and were ready to compete and win," Gangelhoff said. "Even during an individual type of event, you felt their team energy from all around."
Awad began her day with a tough draw in the doubles bracket, falling with Belen Blasco to Marta Melnichenok and Alexandra Ortiz Perez from Lincoln Memorial, 8-4. She proceeded to bounce back with a thrilling win over Lenior-Rhyne's Mehetia Booise. 6-1, 5-7, 11-9.
In the Round of 32, Awad and Eryka Kruk from Flagler began their match before thunderstorms and heavy rain rolled in and put a bow on Day 1 of the ITA Southeast Regional. The two will pick up where they left off tomorrow for a spot in the Round of 16.
As for last season's All-SAC star, del Mar Sarda Marti, she made quick work of Abigail Watson from North Greenville, 6-2, 6-3. Her second matchup against Lenior-Rhyne's Runa Muderrisoglu had not begun when the rain hit, and they will get their battle rolling on Saturday.
Del Mar Sarda Marti teamed up with Kira Baacke in the Flight B doubles bracket, winning their first-round match, 8-2, over North Georgia's Emily Bush and Sofia Giraldo. The duo is slated to begin their second-round meeting with Yui Suzuki and Margarita Roshka from Newberry tomorrow at 8 a.m.
Elsewhere, in the Flight B singles bracket, Blasco moved on to the next round with a win over Constanca Azinhaga from UVA Wise, 6-3, 65-77, 10-4. She is still awaiting her next opponent because of the rain delay.
Baacke dropped her match against Niox Chateau of North Georgia, 0-6, 4-6. Finally, Sindji Manovska dispatched Lincoln Memorial's Lucie Palud, 6-2, 6-1. Tomorrow, she will face Emily Bush from North Georgia at 12 p.m.
