The Barton County Community College women's tennis team began their 2019-20 campaign this past weekend at the Tiger/Jinx Invitational held in both Arkansas City and Winfield.
The Cougars' top two individuals each took a first round loss to Emporia State University players before surviving through the A-Draw bracket to meet in the consolation finals.
Third seeded Alexandra Abyasova rebounded from a hard fought first round loss to the Hornet's Cyrielle Peyroche 7-5, 6-3, but the first match of the consolation bracket nearly derailed the freshman early in the tournament. Trailing 7-2 in the 8-game pro set format on the backdraw, Abyasova battled back to advance by outscoring Cowley's Georgina Kaindoah 7-4 in the tiebreak to win the match 8-5. Abyasova would face another Cowley opponent in the march to the consolation championship, dispatching Andrea Rodriguez with an 8-5 victory.
Claudia Sumaia faced a similar climb in keeping alive on the backside of the bracket, bounced by the Hornet's Viktoria Mackova 6-1, 6-2 on the championship side, before pulling out a tough 9-7 win over Oklahoma Baptists University's Ethne Dowling. Defeating the fifth seed Jessica Purdy from Emporia State 8-3, Sumaia joined Abyasova in the championship but the title match was not played.
Also reaching the finals of the consolation was Kylee Jones, as the freshman took a grueling first match loss to march through three elimination contests in surrendering just seven total games to capture the E-Draw title. Jones dropped the first set against Sterling College's Brooklyn Bauman 7-6 but forced a third set by winning 6-3 before coming up short in the tiebreak 10-7 in being bounced to the consolation. Making short work of Grace Hoffman from Iowa Central 8-2 and Tiffany Hoang of Texas A&M Univ.-Texarkana 8-1, the seventh seed finished off Sterling's Caissa Smith 8-4 to complete a successful collegiate debut weekend.
In doubles action, the tandem of Abyasova and Sumaia won two matches in the A-Draw including a quarterfinal 9-7 win over Emporia's Peyroche and Purdy. The run ended in an 8-5 loss to the A-Draw singles champion Kim Moosbacher and doubles partner Dowling of OBU.
Complete women's results:
Singles A-Draw:
- 3rd seed Alexandra Abyasova: Lost to Cyrielle Peyroche (Emporia State) 7-5, 6-3; Defeated Georgina Kaindoah (Cowley) 9-8 (4); Andrea Rodriguez (Cowley) 8-5; Cons. Finals vs. Claudia Sumaia (Barton)
- Claudia Sumaia: Lost Viktoria Mackova (Emporia State) 6-1, 6-2; Defeated Ethne Dowling (OBU) 9-7; Defeated 5th seed Jessica Purdy (Emporia State) 8-3; Cons. Finals vs. Alexandera Abyasov (Barton)
Singles B-Draw:
- 2nd seed Mariane Lima: Lost to Gabrielly Lamas (OBU) 6-1, 6-4; Lost to Juliana Vidal (Iowa Central) 8-6
Singles C-Draw:
- Sara Martin: Lost to Grace Maxey (McPherson) 6-2, 6-0; Lost to Rachel Slade (Iowa Central) 8-1
Singles D-Draw:
- Haley Vinroe: Lost to Kayla Roth (Tabor) 6-4, 6-2; Lost to 2nd seed Amanda Zavala (Friends) 8-0
Singles E-Draw:
- 7th seed Kylee Jones: 1st Rd Bye; Lost to 10th seed Brooklyn Bauman (Sterling) 7-6(3), 3-6, 10-7; Defeated Grace Hoffman (Iowa Central) 8-2; Defeated Tiffany Hoang (Texas A&M Univ.-Texarkana) 8-1; Defeated Caissa Smith (Sterling) in Cons. Finals 8-4
- Kandice Anderson: 1st Rd Bye; Lost to 4th seed Matty Donaldson (Friends) 6-0, 6-0; Lost to Caissa Smith (Sterling) 8-5
Doubles A-Draw:
- 3rd seed Alexandra Abyasova/Mariane Lima: Defeated Holcomb/Sanchez (OBU) 8-1; Defeated 6th seed Purdy/Peyroche (Emporia State) 9-7; Lost to 2nd seed Dowling/Moosbacher (OBU) 8-5; Lost 3rd place to 1st seed Kaindoah/Ibarra (Cowley) by Default
- Sara Martin/Claudia Sumaia: Lost to 1st seed Kaindoah/Ibarra (Cowley) 8-3; Lost to Andrade/Vidal (Iowa Central) 9-7
Doubles C-Draw:
- 3rd see Kylee Jones/Haley Vinroe: Defeated Smith/Bauman (Sterling) 8-6; Lost to 6th seed Williams/McGrown (Friends) 8-5