Jayhawks win big at first tournament
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Following successful first and second days, Kansas sophomore Anastasia Rychagova ended the weekend by claiming the title of Champion of Flight A at the Little Rock Invitational at the Little Rock Country Club.
Rychagova topped Ana Oparenovic of Arkansas, 6-4, 6-2, to earn the title. Rychagova and Tatiana Nikolaeva defeated the mixed doubles pair of Sofiko Kadzhaya of TCU and Myrna Olaya of Arkansas (6-0).
“Nastia (Rychagova) had a fantastic tournament,” said head coach Todd Chapman. “She started the season building off of where last season ended. We are really excited that our two freshmen dominated their flight of singles at their first collegiate tournament.”
Freshmen Maria Toran Ribes and Nikolaeva both finished their flights with victories sweeping their first tournament singles and earning them the title of Co-Champions of Flight C. Toran Ribes topped Yvon Martinez of West Virginia (6-0, 6-0). Nikolaeva defeated two opponents from Arkansas to earn the title – Peyton Jennings (6-3, 6-2) and Myrna Olaya (6-0, 6-1).
Toran Ribes and Purdue transfer Tess Bernard-Feigenbaum teamed up to defeat Martinez and Paula Goetz of West Virginia (6-4). Bernard-Feigenbaum dropped a tough last singles match to Caroline Wegner of TCU (6-4, 3-6, 7-5), but still notched a second place finish in Flight B.
The Jayhawks will return to Lawrence before the ITA Women’s All-American Championships in October.
Day 3 Results
Flight A Singles
Rychagova (KU) def. Oparenovic (Ark.) – 6-4, 6-2
Kadzhaya (TCU) def. Khmelnitckaia (KU) – 6-4, 6-4
Flight B Singles
Pereria (TCU) def. Koch (KU) – 2-6, 6-4, 6-2
Wegner (TCU) def. Bernard-Feigenbaum (KU) – 6-4, 3-6, 7-5
Flight C Singles
Toran Ribes (KU) def. Martinez (WVU) – 6-0, 6-0
Nikolaeva (KU) def. Jennings (Ark.) – 6-3, 6-2
Nikolaeva (KU) def. Olaya (Ark.) – 6-0, 6-1
Doubles Bracket
Shaker/Jordan (WVU) def. Koch/Khmelnitckaia (KU) – 6-4
Rychagova/Nikolaeva (KU) def. Kadzhaya (TCU)/Olaya (Ark.) – 6-0
Bernard-Feigenbaum/Toran Ribes (KU) def. Martinez/Goetz (WVU) – 6-4
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