2022 ITA West Regionals Results

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Seeing its first action of the fall season, Academy of Art women's tennis logged 11 separate victories across doubles and singles at the ITA West Regionals in Canyon View Park over Sept. 29-30. Junior Yun "Nicole" Shiau and freshman Jessica Plazas highlighted the trip, advancing to the semifinals as a doubles tandem while Plazas reached the quarterfinals as a singles competitor.

"The first tournament of the season is always exciting and an opportunity to see the best players of the conference in intense competition," Head Coach Clarisse Baca said. "The tournament's level was very high in comparison to other years. Every match felt like it had a conference title on the line. The tournament took a turn when it started raining, but I was content to see the team competing again."

Teaming together for the first time, Shiau and Plazas initially made short work of their first two opponents of the doubles draw, defeating Colorado Mesa's Julianna Campos and Delia Maier 8-0 then Azusa Pacific's Katia Betancourt and Vini Margaret Bautista 8-2 to reach the quarterfinals. There it was another 8-0 win for the pair as they bettered Biola's Alex Mann and Brooke Fager 8-0 to set up a faceoff with Elodie Busson and Mihoki Miyahara of Hawaii Pacific in the semifinals which went the Sharks' way 8-4 before HPU secured the doubles title one day later.

Despite falling to eventual championship runners-up, APU's Madison Kane and Eleonora Liga, 8-2 in the Round of 32, junior Viktoria Leth and sophomore Paulina Alvarez put together back-to-back victories in the consolation bracket, topping Metro State's Kambra Roles and Lilly Stienemeier 8-4 then Point Loma's Amanda Letzring and Rachal Jackson 8-3 before withdrawing on account of travel. Sophomores Julia Ortega and Erica Hellbe went down to the wire with Macy Richards and Halle Romero of Colorado Mesa, but were just barely edged out 8-7 with the tiebreaker at 7-5.

A strong singles run came for Plazas following her collegiate debut match in which she bested Colorado Mesa's Kristen Thomas 6-1, 6-0 in the Round of 64. Plazas proceeded to make quick work of Metro State's Kinsey Fields 6-1, 6-1 and continued her straights sets success with a 6-4, 6-3 result past Arianna Audelo of Point Loma. In the quarterfinals, however, Plazas' streak ended at the hands of eventual individual champion HPU's Busson 6-4, 6-3.

"The top two highlights of the tournament were seeing Jessica representing ART U for the first time by making it to the quarterfinals in singles and semifinals in doubles alongside Nicole and seeing how well Paulina and Viktoria worked together in doubles," Baca said.

Opening round wins also came for Shiau and Leth with the former putting away CMU's Campos 6-2, 6-4 and the latter triumphing over Angelique Friederich of PLNU 6-4, 6-4. Both would unfortunately not reach the Round of 16 as Shiau could not overcome PLNU's Thelma Sepulveda 6-1, 6-4 and Leth fell to April Wong of APU 6-1, 6-2.

Though Hellbe dropped a 6-1, 6-1 result to APU's Liga to start, she bounced back by shutting out Sophie Thoring of Dominican 6-0, 6-0 in the bracket's consolation portion before Metro State's Marie Cool ended Hellbe's run 8-5. In one of seven matches to require a third set from the Round of 64, Alvarez was just outlasted by BU's Fager 6-0, 5-7, 10-8 then dropped a 6-4, 6-3 score to Letzring of PLNU.

"At the end of tournament, we all sat down and discussed what we need to do to continue to improve," Baca said. "I have no doubt that with every week that goes by, we will continue to get better. We will have to trust the process. Excited for Monday's practice!"

Academy of Art will next be in action at Dominican's Penguin Invitational which spans the weekend of Oct. 15-16 in San Rafael.