After successful performances at the Georgetown Classic and the Margaux Powers Tournaments, the Hoya tennis programs took their momentum into the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Regional tournaments with mixed results. The men traveled to the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va. and played decently well, while the women struggled somewhat at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va.
There, the Hoyas faced players from all over Virginia, D.C., and Maryland. The men’s team was coming off particularly impressive showings at the Georgetown Classic, where senior captain Charlie Caris won both the singles and doubles draws. For the Margaux Powers tournament, the Hoyas traveled to Providence to face teams from Brown, the University of Pennsylvania, and Boston College.
In Rhode Island, the veterans and younger players alike showed well. Both freshman Kevin Katz and sophomore John Brosens went undefeated in singles play, winning three matches each. Then the two teamed up in doubles play to win two of their three matches. Another doubles team of Caris and junior Casey Distaso went undefeated in their doubles play, and posted a combined 3-3 record in singles.
The Hokies of Virginia Tech were the thorn in the side of the men’s team at ITA Regionals, knocking out all four of Georgetown’s singles competitors. Three of the four Hoya men, however, reached the second round of the tournament. Sophomore Shane Korber defeated a player from the University of Maryland Baltimore County before losing to one of the seeded Hokies. Reese Milner made quick work of his UMBC opponent before a tough second round loss. Caris fought out a three-set battle with a player from James Madison University but ultimately fell in the Round of 64.
The doubles team of freshman Daniel Khanin and Shane Korber soundly defeated a pair from Old Dominion University before losing in the second round to a fifth-seeded George Washington University team. Milner and Brosens beat a team from Norfolk State and then dropped a match to a pair from the University of Virginia in the second round of the doubles draw.
The women struggled in singles play during the ITA tournament, but junior Kelly Comolli got a win over a player from William and Mary before losing to a second seed from UVA.
The doubles teams had more success, with both pairs winning their first matches. Junior Madeline Jaeger and sophomore Sophie Panarese were victorious over a pair from Liberty University before falling in the next round to a team from UVA. Comolli and senior captain Vicky Sekely made it farther than any other Hoya competitors by gaining a first round bye and winning their second round match against a duo from Temple University. In the Round of 16, the Hoya pair fell to a team from Virginia Commonwealth University.
The Hoyas now begin their offseason, and resume play in January at the VCU 4+1 event in Richmond.
Players and coaches could not be reached for comment.
