The University of Akron Athletics
Tennis Plays at Eck Classic, ITA All-American Championships
October 04 | Women's Tennis
SOUTH BEND, Ind. - University of Akron freshman tennis player Natalia Kuvakina won her respective singles bracket on Sunday to highlight the Zips' weekend competition in the Eck Tennis Classic hosted by Notre Dame.
The UA rookie posted four victories throughout the three-day event en rout to being crowned champion of the green flight (flight 3). She defeated teammate Carolina Castro Cota 6-1, 6-2 in the semifinal round and then got the best of Kansas' Victoria Khanevskaya 6-1, 7-5 in the title match. Castro Cota posted a three-set 3-6, 7-6 (3), 1-0 (9) win over Dayton's Sarah VanWallenghem in the quarterfinals.
In the blue singles flight (flight 1), UA was represented by reigning Mid-American Conference Player-of-the-Year Zara Harutyunyan and Angelika Jogasuria. Both scored straight-set opening round victories, but fell during quarterfinal play. Harutyunyan is listed 73rd nationally in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association preseason singles rankings.
Through two tournaments this fall, Akron student-athletes have claimed the championship of three flights. At the Spartan Invitational at Michigan State on Sept. 24-26, Harutyunyan claimed flight A singles and paired with Angelina Jogasuria to win flight A doubles.
In other UA tennis action this weekend, Angelina Jogasuria advanced to the pre-qualifying singles round of 32 at the ITA/Riviera All-American Championships in Pacific Palisades, Calif. The sophomore topped Long Beach State's Jaklin Alawai 7-6, 1-6, 6-1 in the opening round of 64 on Friday, but lost 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 to Georgia Tech's Jillian O'Neill on Saturday in the round of 32 and was subsequently eliminated from the bracket. Saturday's match was played in 95-degree weather.
Angelina Jogasuria will join forces with Harutyunyan and represent the Zips in the ITA/Riviera All-American Championships qualifying doubles round of 32 beginning on Tuesday. Harutyunyan will also compete in the event's qualifying singles round of 64, which is scheduled to get underway on Tuesday as well.
