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University of Massachusets Athletics
ITA Northeast Regionals Up Next For Tennis
October 16, 2014 | Tennis
More than 100 women's collegiate tennis players representing 33 colleges will toe-the-line throughout the week. The tournament will prove to be a solid test for UMass, as the team will face off against top programs within the NCAA, including those in the Ivy League.
The Regionals sections were released on Tuesday, Oct. 14 with UMass calling its newcomers to action in the lineup. Ana Yrazusta Acosta, Aarzoo Malik, Carol Benito and Anna Woosley will represent the maroon and white in singles play, while Arielle Griffin will serve as a second alternate in the qualifying singles draw. Tandem pairs of Yrazusta and Benito, and Malik and Griffin will team up in the doubles main draw, beginning Friday afternoon.
In 2013, the Minutewomen took home a handful of victories in the ITA Northeast Regionals. In the Round of 64, then freshman Malik defeated Lauren Frazier of Cornell in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2, and advanced to the Championships Round of 32. Malik ultimately fell to fifth-seeded Jessica Wacnik of Boston College, 6-2, 6-3, but the rookie finished the tournament with a 1-1 singles record.
Malik also teamed up with now graduated Yuliana Motyl in doubles action in the tournament last season. The duo earned an 8-5 win over Smergut and Badoche of Stony Brook before falling in the Round of 32, 8-4, to Forham's Ali and Ball.
The final round of singles qualifying will take place on Friday starting at 9:00 a.m., with doubles main draw action to follow beginning at 1:00 p.m. Two rounds of doubles will begin Friday while two rounds of main draw singles play are scheduled for Saturday. Later rounds will continue through to Tuesday, when the finals will take place.
Following this week's tournament, the UMass tennis team will round out its 2014 fall schedule at the Big Green Invitational. Dartmouth is set to host the invitational in Hanover, New Hampshire Oct. 31 through Nov. 2.
