Biola University’s tennis program kicked off their season at the Biola Tennis Center in a tournament that ran Sept. 27-29.
The Eagles hosted the United States Tennis Association/Intercollegiate Tennis Association Regional Championships at the La Mirada Tennis Center and the Biola Tennis Center. Six schools competed in the tournament.
David Goodman, first-year head coach of the men’s team, served as the tournament director.
“It’s a little hectic just because I want to watch my own players and since it’s my first year with the program, I want to get a feel for how my players play and just kind of see them in action,” he said. “At the same time I need to get my stuff done and do my duties as the tournament director as well, so it’s been tough, but I had a lot of help with running the tournament and so it’s enabled me to do both.”
Women's team puts up strong performance
In women’s singles, Biola’s freshman Kathyryn Ashford beat Concordia University Irvine’s Caitlin Uzzi 4-6, 6-0, 6-1 in the first round. Following that, she faced Dorothy Chong of Lewis-Clark State College and lost. Chong made it all the way to the finals, but was beaten by Concordia’s Elizaveta Ignatova, 7-5, 4-6, 6-1.
In the women’s doubles, Biola made it as far as the quarterfinals before being knocked out of the tournament. Tara Yekrang and Nicci Yvanovich of Westmont College went on to win the event.
Westmont and Concordia have success on men's side
For the men’s singles, junior David Mossman and sophomore Isaiah Pekary made it to the second round of play. In the finals, Concordia’s Micah Groom and fellow teammate Bruno Kliskinic played against each other, but there could only be one winner and Kliskinic took the title 6-4, 6-2.
Diana Williams, a USTA roving official, thought all the athletes’ behavior was pretty good overall.
“When you get behind and you want to be ahead, you can’t help but be a bit feisty. Some of them are a bit feisty, but overall pretty good,” Williams said.
Finally, in men’s doubles, Mossman and Pekary teamed up to play against Hope, beating them 8-4. In the second round they played against Westmont’s John Bertram and Tim Goranson, but were defeated 8-3. Bertram and Goranson would later go on to the finals and be named champions of men’s doubles.
The winners of the USTA/ITA Regional Championships will go to Mobile, Ala. to play in the USTA/ITA National Small College Championships. There they will play against the other regional champions in their event. After this, the winners of each divisional level play in the “Super Bowl.” The winners of that earn wild cards to play in the USTA/ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, N.Y.
