Mari Paz Alberto Vilar and Stanislava Shulzhenko have made history for Iowa State University by becoming the first players from the school to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Their qualification comes after securing a top-three finish in the ITA Sectionals on Saturday.
Alberto Vilar and Shulzhenko lost their semifinal match earlier in the day but rebounded to defeat TCU’s Yu-Chin Tsai and Victoria Gomez O’Hayon in the third-place match. This victory earned them a spot in the NCAA tournament, which will begin on November 18 in Orlando.
Meanwhile, at the H-E-B Invitational in Waco, Texas, members of the Cyclones team recorded singles victories. Valeska San Martin Ramirez defeated UTSA’s Laia Tarazona Peyro with scores of 6-3, 2-6, [10-0], while Gabriella Kellner won against UTRGV’s Luna Buijtenhuijs, 6-2, 6-4. Other Cyclones competitors—Julia Camblor, Suzanie Pretorius, and Kira Smith—were defeated in their respective singles matches.
The five Cyclones are scheduled to compete again Sunday morning in Waco.
In doubles play at the ITA Sectionals, Daria Smetannikov and Mia Kupres from Texas A&M beat Alberto Vilar and Shulzhenko 6-0, 6-1. However, Alberto Vilar and Shulzhenko then overcame Yu-Chin Tsai and Victoria Gomez O’Hayon (TCU) with a score of 6-4, 7-6 (5).
At the H-E-B Invitational doubles matches, Meriem Ben Ezzedine and Kinley VanPelt (Kansas) edged out Julia Camblor and Suzanie Pretorius (ISU), while Kennedy Gibbs and Alian Zack (Baylor) bested Gabriella Kellner and Valeska San Martin Ramirez (ISU).
Singles results included Zoe Adkins (UD) defeating Camblor (ISU), Natalie Cinkova (UD) overcoming Pretorius (ISU), San Martin Ramirez’s win over Tarazona Peyro (UTSA), Kellner’s victory over Buijtenhuijs (UTRGV), and Valentina Urraco’s win against Kira Smith.
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