After a slow start on Friday, senior Yana Mavrina is set to contend for the consolation title on Sunday at the Cissie Leary Invitational.
Mavrina fell out of the main draw on Friday following her 7-5, 6-3 defeat, which knocked her into the consolation bracket. Mavrina rebounded on Saturday clinching a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Bowdoin’s Tiffany Cheng in the consolation round of 16. Mavrina later moved on to the consolation final set for Sunday after her opponent Karolina Maksimava from Akon defaulted due to injury. Mavrina will face Penn State’s Marie Bedardin in the final match.
Coach Steve Mauro is confident in Marvina ability to perform at a high level on Sunday.
“I think that she will do fine,” Mauro said. “She will work hard and she will do a good job.”
In addition to Mavrina’s win in the consolation bracket, senior Alicia Doms and sophomore Minami Okajoma also recovered well following their loses on Friday. Doms defeated Rhode Island’s Taylor Holden in a 6-4, 6-2 decision. However, she failed to continue her success falling to a 6-1, 6-1 score against Ksenia Berestetska of Akron in the consolation round of 16. Okajima also suffered the same fate as she won 6-2, 6-2 against Kelsey Williams of Richmond, then dropping a 7-5, 6-4 decision against Bowdoin’s Emma Lewis in the consolation round of 16.
“I was actually impressed with the way Minami played,” Mauro said. “She just really played an all-around game. If she continues to use that style of play she will have a very successful season.”
After a strong start Friday, freshman Anais Nussaume suffered her first loss to opponent Tiana Takenaga of Columbia in a 6-3, 6-0 decision on Saturday, knocking her out of the main draw and into the consolation bracket, ending her title hopes.
In doubles play, the pairs of junior Rebecca Breland and Mavrina along with senior Carly Bohman and Okajima both lost their matches on Saturday.
Despite some tough losses, coach Mauro is happy with the resiliency of his team.
“These six that came to this tournament are really good group of girls,” Mauro said. “Even though it is still early in the season, I know a loss would not discourage them. I expected them to play well today.”
Mavrina will begin her quest for the consolation title Sunday after the doubles matches, which begin at 9 a.m.
Danielle Nelson can be reached at danielle.nelson@temple.edu or on Twitter @Dan_Nels.
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