K-State Women’s Tennis Closes Fall Season With Two Wins at ITA Central Sectional in Fort Worth
Kansas State’s women’s tennis team ended its fall season with two consolation victories at the ITA Central Sectional Championship on Friday, November 6, at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center in Fort Worth, Texas, kstatesports.com reported. Freshman Marta Leon and the doubles pair of freshman Sabrina Balderrama and sophomore Varya Bernovich each won after dropping out of the main draw a day earlier.
The three Wildcats were the team’s only entries at the tournament, which closed a fall campaign that began three weeks earlier at the ITA Central Regional in Memphis. K-State will open its spring season in January with home matches at the Peakform Sports and Wellness Center and Mike Goss Tennis Stadium.
Thursday Losses to Ranked Oklahoma State and Ohio State
Leon, who had qualified for Fort Worth by reaching the singles quarterfinals at the Memphis regional, faced her second ranked opponent of the week in the Round of 32. No. 124 Veronika Kliuch of Oklahoma State defeated Leon 6-1, 6-1 on Thursday, November 5, holding her to one game per set.
In doubles, Balderrama and Bernovich fell to Ohio State’s Anna Bennett and Audrey Spencer 6-3, 6-3 in the Round of 16, unable to swing momentum in either set.
Friday Consolation Wins Over Nebraska and Baylor
Both K-State entries bounced back in Friday’s consolation bracket. Leon defeated Nebraska’s Conley Raidt 6-2, 6-2, and Balderrama and Bernovich won an 8-game pro set over Baylor’s Na Dong and Ligaya Murray, 8-5, to wrap the season on a winning note.
The results capped a fall in which K-State competed as a full squad for the first time, going 19-13 in singles at the Memphis regional and reaching the doubles quarterfinals, according to the Kansas State Collegian. Leon played six matches over four days in Memphis, sweeping five opponents to punch her ticket to Fort Worth, while Balderrama knocked off Memphis’ No. 107 Leonie Moeller in three sets.
Coach Jordan Smith on the Bounce-Back
Head coach Jordan Smith pointed to the two Friday wins as evidence of how quickly his young roster has grown. “Really proud of how we bounced back today,” Smith said. “Picked up two solid wins over Nebraska and Baylor. It’s easy to forget this is the first fall season for these ladies based on how resilient and competitive they have been so far. Especially being able to qualify for this level already. They’ve improved a lot in a short amount of time. I’m excited for future team success in the spring!”
What Comes Next for the Wildcats
K-State returns in January for the spring season, opening at home at the Peakform Sports and Wellness Center and Mike Goss Tennis Stadium, per kstatesports.com. The fall roster’s core — Leon, Balderrama and Bernovich — will lead a team that, by Smith’s account, has already shown it can compete with nationally ranked opponents.