University of Tennessee Athletics
Duo Captures Regional Doubles Title
October 18, 2011 | Women's Tennis
Oct. 18, 2011
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Tennessee Lady Vol tennis duo of senior Natalie Pluskota and junior Kata Szekely capped a dominating week Tuesday morning at the USTA/ITA Ohio Valley Regional with a best-of-three 6-3, 6-2 win over Tiffany Welcher and Alyssa Hibberd (Memphis) to capture the event's doubles championship.
"Obviously, it was a huge accomplishment," co-head coach Sonia Hahn-Patrick said. "This is the first tournament that they've played together and they complemented each other well. They just played really aggressive and played to win."
With their fifth consecutive victory at the Racquet Club of Memphis, the sixth-seeded pair advanced to the USTA/ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships (Nov. 3-6) in New York, marking the second consecutive year the Lady Vols will be represented at the tournament in doubles.
Last year, Brynn Boren and Maria Sorbello claimed the Ohio Valley Regional doubles title.
For Pluskota, the doubles victory marked her 85th (12th all-time at Tennessee) and her fourth doubles title as a Lady Vol, while the victory signaled Szekely's second doubles championship.
For the second straight year, Boren made it to the singles title match at the regional. After winning it last year, she finished as a finalist Tuesday, falling 6-1, 6-1 to 100th-ranked Jackie Wu (Vanderbilt).
"It was a great tournament for Tennessee," Hahn-Patrick said. "Brynn had a great tournament. Nat and Kata had a great win in the finals against a very formidable Memphis team and we're looking forward to going to New York."
The rest of the Lady Vols will return to action Nov. 11-13 at the MetLife Intercollegiate Clay Court Classic in Sarasota, Fla., the final fall event on UT's schedule.
Follow @LadyVol_Tennis on Twitter to stay current with the team.
USTA/ITA OHIO VALLEY REGIONAL
Memphis, Tenn.
DOUBLES MAIN DRAW RESULTS
Natalie Pluskota/Kata Szekely (UT) def. Tiffany Welcher/Alyssa Hibberd (Memphis) 6-3, 6-2
Pluskota/Szekely (UT) def. Manuela Velasquez/Amelia Harris (Louisville) 8-2
Pluskota/Szekely (UT) def. Stefanie Mikesz/Mariya Slupska (Memphis) 8-2
Pluskota/Szekely (UT) def. Kristina Labeja/Milena Poffo (EKU), 8-1
Pluskota/Szekely (UT) def. Gisella Pere/Imogen Golder (Purdue), 8-3
SINGLES MAIN DRAW FINALS - Tuesday
#100 Jackie Wu (Vanderbilt) def. #31 Brynn Boren (UT) 6-1, 6-1
