ST. LOUIS, MO – Saray Hernandez Cisneros,
Veronica Volkart, and
Kimbeley Peterson each competed in the ITA Division III Central Regional Tournament this weekend held on Washington University's campus in St. Louis. For singles, Cisneros and Peterson played in the main draw, while Volkart played in the B draw. For doubles, Cisneros and Volkart partnered up in the main draw.
The doubles pair lost their first match 8-3 to a duo from Kalamazoo College. They then moved to the consolation draw and lost 8-6 to a duo from Ohio Northern University. This was Cisneros and Volkart's first time playing doubles together and had good energy despite the losses. After going down 4-1 in the second match, they came back to even the set at 5-5 before the eventual loss, so they showed some fight and creativity to get back in the match.
In singles, Cisneros and Peterson were both matched up against very strong players in the main draw and lost by a wide margin. They each moved to the consolation draw where Cisneros found some success. She won her first match easily against a player from Hanover College (IN) 6-0, 6-0. In the round of 32, Cisneros faced the same player she defeated a week ago from Anderson University (IN), and she beat her again 6-2, 6-3 to make it to the consolation quarterfinals. She then faced a good player Franciscan University (OH) and lost 6-4, 6-0 to end her tournament. Volkart won her first match in the B draw before falling to the top seed and eventual champion in round two.
The competition at this event is always extremely strong as it brings together the best players from the central region of Division III, including the top two teams from last year's NCAA Championships. Competing against these elite players gives our young Panthers the opportunity to raise their game and learn from the experience. The Panthers have a strong foundation to build on, and the women are looking forward to working together as a team to keep improving. The fall season has now come to a close, but the team will continue to practice two days a week through the remainder of the semester.
Hear comments from Coach Carney after the match:
