ALLENDALE, Mich. -- The Wayne State University women's tennis program began its season at the ITA Regional Tournament on Saturday.  

A SINGLES RECAP

Four A singles players competed, including senior Dasha Kuznetsova (Moscow, Russia), sophomore transfer Tanja Skalda (Prien am Chiemsee, Germany / Longwood University), sophomore Linda Liong (Tanjung Kidurong, Malaysia), and freshman Laura Cazacu (London, England).

Fifth-seeded Kuznetsova defeated Saginaw Valley's Joanne Gao (6-1, 6-4) in the first round of regionals.  She moved on to round two where she won against Maryville's Sandra Hinterberger (6-3, 6-3).

Skalda battled Salome Bleuler from the University of Missouri - St. Louis (UMSL).  After losing the first set (4-6), she came back to win the second set (6-2).  Skalda lost the third set (8-10).

Liong won a close match against UIndy's Maja Pindelska, winning in a third set (4-6, 6-4, 10-5).  She then advanced to the second round and took another third set win against Grand Valley's Marily Canellopoulos (4-6, 6-4, 10-6).

Cazacu, seeded 16th, won her first match as a Warrior against Rockhurst University's Emma Persson (6-3, 6-2), but fell short in a third set match against UIndy's Nikol Alexeeva (7-5, 5-7, 5-10).

A DOUBLES RECAP

Kuznetsova and Skalda partnered to take on Southern Indiana's Lauren Hambrock and Lauryn Thompson, sweeping them in an eight game pro set (8-0).  The duo advanced to the second round and lost in a tight set against UMSL's Blueler and Marina Prediger (6-8).

Liong and Cazacu fell short in their set against UMSL's Leticia Lunge and Odette Beagrie (5-8).  However, they played Rockhurst's Persson and Octavia Malin in the A doubles consolation draw and won (8-4).

B SINGLES RECAP

Wayne State had five Warriors competing as B singles players including sophomore Irena van Meer (Amsterdam, Netherlands), senior Astrid Ciellza (Tecumseh, Ont.), sophomore Brianna Douglas (Dayton, Ohio / Chaminade Julienne), sophomore Stephanie Stamate (Windsor, Ont.), and freshman Carla Jewell (Hobart, Ind.).

Number four seed van Meer had a bye in the first round and defeated Davenport's Sophie Gosse in the second round (6-4, 6-3).

Ciellza lost in the first round against Walsh University's Sofia Khairutdinova (6-1, 4-6, 5-10) but went on to play in the B singles consolation round and defeated Davis & Elkins' Ester Bolmenas (6-2, 6-2).

Douglas played a three-set match against Julia Formentin from Hillsdale College and claimed a victory (4-6, 6-3, 10-4).  She had, yet again, a third set match in her second round where she defeated Walsh University's Maria Kacalova (6-4, 0-6, 10-4).

Stamate fell short in her match during her first round against Michigan Tech's Vicky Quinde (0-6, 0-6).

Jewell, a number three seed, had a bye in the first round and won her opening match of the day playing Southern Indiana's Alex Jamison (6-2, 6-2).

B DOUBLES RECAP

Douglas and van Meer paired up and had a bye in the first round.  They won in their pro set against Hillsdale's Elli Formentin and Sophia Spinazze (8-2), but lost to Grand Valley's Livia Christman and Liv Hanover (4-8).

Ciellza and Jewell had a bye in the first round as well and took on Rockhurst's Flaxbeard and Romero in the second round, notching an 8-4 win.  They moved on to the next round and collected another victory against Walsh's Kacalova and Katarina Razum (8-5).

UP NEXT

The Warriors remaining in the competition continued to play in the tournament on Sunday.