SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- The Augustana men's and women's tennis teams competed in the ITA Central Regional Championships this past weekend in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, hosted by the Central Oklahoma.

"I was really happy with the way the teams competed this weekend," head coach Marc Kurtz said. "It was a solid performance by both teams and now we have some things to work on in the coming months to get us ready for matches in the spring.

"The men had a good showing for us and probably the best showing overall as a team that we've ever had at the ITA Regional."

In doubles play on the men's side, teammates Cade Damgaard and Henry Dornbusch won 8-6 in the opening round against the No. 8 seed in Harding's Arthur Bellan and Bryce Walker.

Kurtz was also impressed with Dornbucsh's singles play, "I think the highlight was Dornbusch winning a few matches and making it to the consolation finals."

Dornbusch had a promising showing in the singles consolation, making it to the consolation finals before losing 8-5 to Matias Parzajuk of Ouachita Baptist.

Kurtz also was very pleased with the performances on the women's side.

"The women played well again and have continued our good play this fall," Kurtz added. "The women played our best doubles of the fall with Laura and Gabriela beating a very strong team in the semifinals before losing to a strong team in the championship match."

The competition was highlighted by the doubles play of senior Laura Arce Vieyra and Gabriela Jancikova.

The duo made their way through the doubles rounds besting Cadence Lynn and Sydnee Foster of Washburn, winning 8-6. 

The Vikings then advanced through to the next round, besting Nikki Boyar and Adel-Byanu Adidullina of OCU, winning 8-5 to be elevated to the finals before falling to Central Oklahoma's Mae and Christine Canete.

In women's singles play, sophomore Florentia Hadjigeorgiou advanced all the way to the quarterfinals.

Hadjigeorgiou's day started with a 6-1, 6-2, victory against Sara Gonzales to advance out of the round of sixty four. She then faced Central Oklahoma's Nikki Boyar, who she beat 6-1, 6-1. In the round of sixteen, Hadjigeorgiou bested Northeastern State Universities Maria Popova to advance her to the quarterfinals where she would lose to Central Oklahoma's Grace Chadick 6-3, 3-6, 11-9.

She also had a good showing in doubles play with teammate Aleksandra Kistsanova as the duo made it to the quarterfinals. 

The Vikings took the first round, winning 8-5. They then went on to win 8-0 against Daniela Baez and Lea Grinberg of Arkansas Tech before falling to Christine Canete and Mae Canete of UCO.

Sophomore Margarita Choulaira made it to the round of sixteen by beating MWSU's Anya Chavez 6-4, 6-2 before falling in the next round.

Doubles teammates Arce Vieyra and Jancikova will await to see if they will get selected at-large for the ITA National Championships in Rome, Georgia, in two weeks. 

--GoAugie.com--