NU Wraps Up Day One of Central Regional

Stillwater, Okla. - The ITA Central Regional Championship began Thursday morning at 9 a.m. with a 96-player qualifying bracket. The Oklahoma State Cowgirls are hosting the event for the first time, which includes more than 130 student-athletes from 23 schools around the nation. The event is being held at the Michael and Anne Greenwood tennis center and features one of the biggest draws the central region tournament has seen.

Senior Izabella Zgierska, junior Mackenna Maddox and redshirt freshman Spurti Shivalingaiah brought home NU victories in the qualifying first round. Zgierska overpowered Brenda Mercado of Oral Roberts in a 6-4, 6-2 victory. Maddox toppled Oklahoma's Brooke Withrow 6-4, 6-2, while Shivalingaiah battled Sierra Halverson of Southern Illinois and came out on top 7-5, 6-1.

Junior Lauren Wagner fell to No. 19 seeded Summer Collins of Kansas, 6-1, 6-2. Sophomore Lisa Andersson faced the No. 9 seeded Aleksandra Trifunovic of Washington State and fell short 6-3, 6-2, while fellow sophomore Mary Hanna lost to No. 6 seeded Smith Hinton of Kansas, 6-4, 6-3. Redshirt freshman Katerina Matysova battled through three sets but was edged out by Drake’s Adrienne Jensen 6-3, 1-6, 10-8.

In the second qualifying round Zgierska was the lone Husker to get the win, qualifying her to the main draw. Zgierska scorched Arkansas State’s Julie Gauguery 6-1, 6-0. Shivalingaiah faced top-seeded Caroline Ryba of Minnesota and battled through three sets before falling, 6-7, 6-2, 6-10. Maddox was outplayed by the No. 3 seed Carla Tur Mari from Oklahoma, 1-6, 1-6.

In the singles consolation bracket, NU came away with two victories as Hanna defeated Ximena Puentes of Oral Roberts, 6-2, 6-0, and Matysova outplayed ORU’s Andrada Borden 6-2, 6-2. Wagner fell to Tulsa's Alba Perny, 3-6, 3-6. Andersson was set to face Michelle Lo of UNO but defaulted to rest her wrist.

The main draw begins Friday morning with two Huskers set to participate. No. 8 seeded Maggy Lehmicke will face Renata Kuricova of Tulsa and Zgierska is scheduled to take on Oklahoma's Christie Brigante. 

Main draw doubles also begin Friday with Wagner and Matysova set to face Eggleston and Herder of Drake, while fellow Huskers Lehmicke and Shivalingaiah will pair up to face Silver and McCulloch of Iowa. Hanna and Zgierska will partner up to take on Tulsa’s Saarteinen and Kuricova as Andersson and Maddox will face Cardona and Luduena of Kansas.

The results from Friday’s matches will be posted here on Huskers.com concluding play. Go Big Red!