Women's Tennis Competes in 2023 ITA South Regional Championship

LAKELAND, Fla. -  The Florida Southern College women's tennis team opened their fall schedule competing in the ITA Division II South Regional Championships this past weekend, hosted by Florida Southern at the Wynee Warden Tennis Center.

"Phenomenal level of tennis throughout," said Florida Southern head coach and tournament director Trish Riddell. "FSC was well represented with two players reaching the quarterfinals in singles for the first time in recorded history, and three main draw doubles wins. This is undoubtedly the strongest region in the country and the level of competition was clearly evident. We look forward to competing against many of these teams in the spring."
 
The Mocs had seven athletes competing:  Ronja Scheuermann, Olivia Bryant, and Laia Pasini all competing in the singles, while having two double teams in Kennedi Brown and Kelly Klaren in one double pairing and Vivien Charvatova and Neli Sunjic being the other. 
 
In singles competition, Scheuermann opened the round of 64 falling to Valdosta State's Natalie Rainke 6-4, 6-2. She would move into the consolation stage battling it out against Gabrielle Geolier going into a tie that ended with 4-6, 7-6, 12-10 giving Scheuermann her first win.  
 
Bryant and Pasini both won their matches in the round of 64 and 32 to advance to the round of 16. Bryant advanced all the way to the quarterfinals, taking down three along the way first by defeating Delta State's Sofia Pepe 6-3, 6-0 in round 64 and Mississippi College's Elyangelica Alas 6-0, 6-4. In the round of 16, Bryant faced Dinara Alloyarova taking it to a tiebreaker where Bryant gave it her all earning the comeback win with a 2-6, 6-3, 10-8 decision. In the quarterfinals, Bryant concluded her success in the ITA's by falling to Lexie Weir 5-7, 6-2.
 
Pasini advanced to the round of 64 defeating Spring Hill's Claire Bosman 6-4, 6-2, and continued her success into the round 32 taking down Saint Leo's Kamilya Shailinia 6-3, 6-0. In the round of 16, Pasini continued her success winning 6-2, 6-1 against Estefania Garcia and advancing to the quarterfinals. In the quarterfinals, Pasini weekend came to an end falling to Salma Djoubri 6-0, 6-2. 
 
For doubles competition, Brown and Klaren teamed up to advance to the round of 32, defeating Rollin's Milla Falster and Nina Mitrofanova 8-6. The duo advanced to the round of 16 taking down Tampa's Victoria Sanchez Bronzetti and Julie Ball in a tie 8-7, 11-9 before falling to Lynn's Kristin Younes and Salma Djoubri 8-3 concluding the Mocs run in the ITA tournament.
 
The Lynn University Fighting Knights captured the wins in both doubles and singles as the duo of Deniza Marcinkevica and Greta Schieroni won doubles defeating Nova Southeastern's Natalie Espinal and Freya Davies 7-6, 6-4. In singles, Salma Djoubri defeated Nova Southeastern's Lexie Weir 6-3, 6-2.
 
Florida Southern will head to the Mercer Gridiron Classic tournament Oct. 6-8 in Macon, Ga.