 "Photo: Suzanne Caraker ~ Daily Egyptian")
It was a long-awaited debut.
The SIU women’s tennis team competed in the Intercollegiate Tennis Central Regional Championships last week in Norman, Okla. The competition ran from Wednesday to Sunday.
The competition marked the first collegiate match of freshman No. 1 Melanie Delsart’s career.
Delsart was defeated in her first match in the main draw by Arkansas’s Valentina Starkova 6-4, 6-4.
Head coach Audra Nothwehr said the loss was because of a combination of nerves and the level of competition.
“She competed well, but for this to be her first tournament it was tough,” Nothwehr said. “I almost wish she could play in the (qualification bracket) to get some matches under her belt before facing those big opponents. She just faced two really good players and she lost.”
Delsart’s other defeat came in a consolation match against Oklahoma’s Kristina Radan 6-3, 7-6.
Delsart was able to pick up a victory in the course of the tournament. In doubles play, Delsart and sophomore partner Vishaka Sheoran beat Wichita State’s duo of Florentina Hanisch and Lenore Lazariou 8-5.
“It was really important to get that win,” Delsart said. “It was great. Wichita State is someone in our conference and it helps us know what level we need to be at for the spring.”
Delsart and Sheoran lost in their second doubles match of the tournament to Minnesota’s Alexa Palen and Magdalena Wiecha 8-3.
Delsart said she was glad to play in this tournament so she could get experience before the spring season.
“It was my first tournament, so I was pretty nervous,” Delsart said. “I didn’t know what to expect, but I’m glad I could play before we start conference play in the spring.”
Sheoran said Delsart’s debut inspired confidence in the team.
“It was nice to see her in action,” Sheoran said. “Hopefully she can take this experience and add to it for the spring.”
Sheoran competed in the main draw for singles as well and fell to Tulsa’s Ewa Szatkowska 6-2, 6-3. Sheoran bounced back in the consolation bracket and won a match against Oklahoma State’s Alexandra Cristello in tiebreakers 2-6, 6-2, 1-0(6), which put Sheoran into the quarterfinals.
Sheoran lost in the quarterfinals of the consolation bracket against Arkansas’s Claudine Paulson in straight sets 6-1, 6-2.
Nothwehr said she was impressed by Sheoran’s play throughout the tournament.
“Her win against Oklahoma State was big,” Nothwehr said. “Overall she had an excellent tournament, she had good wins in both doubles and singles.”
Saluki freshman Jennifer Dien started the tournament in the qualification bracket. Dien had a bye in the first round of play and defeated Saint Louis’s Mia Elmore in straight sets 6-3, 6-3 to advance to the main draw.
In the main draw, Dien lost to Minnesota’s Magdalena Wiecha 7-6, 6-1.
Nothwehr said the elevated level of play could be attributed to the strength of opposition her team faced at the tournament.
“They played even better when they lost than they would have against a player they may have been able to easily put away,” Nothwehr said. “Playing those people makes you better.”
Four other Salukis competed in the qualification bracket and lost. Senior Michela Cruise lost to the bracket’s top seed, Arkansas’s Annemijn Koenen 5-7, 6-1, 1-0(7). Drake’s Jessica Aguilera defeated sophomore Emily Whitney 6-1, 6-4, senior Martina Vianna Ce lost to Saint Louis’s Sarah Septien 6-1, 6-4, and senior Jessica Flannery lost to Drake’s Ali Patterson 7-6, 6-3.
The Salukis do not play again until Jan. 29 when they play against Marshall in Richmond, Ky.
“I can’t wait for the spring,” Delsart said. “We have a really good chance this year to win the conference.”
