SALT LAKE CITY, Utah After rallying from a 6-3 deficit for an extended length win in her doubles match, Jessica Simosa had just enough time to shake hands, grab a drink, and run to the next court for her consolation singles match. Despite the quick turnaround, Simosa earned a second victory and led another successful day for the Kansas State tennis team at the ITA Central Region Tournament at the University of Utah’s Eccles Tennis Center on Friday.  

“I had like two minutes,” Simosa said of the intermission before her 7-5, 6-1, win over Air Force’s Kat Bushy. “We’re used to playing doubles first and then singles in our conference matches, though. It was actually pretty good because I was already warmed up.”

Simosa and doubles partner Maria Perevoschikova (pair-a-vosh-eh-cove-ah) advanced to the quarter-finals of the main draw, but not after a marathon contest with Colorado’s Monica Milevski and Jessica Vanderdys. The newly formed duo, which won two matches in Thursday’s doubles play, found themselves down 6-3 and on the verge of elimination before rallying for a 9-7 win.

“The only chance they had today was to play better than they already had and they played pretty well last night. It was a good win and a very good performance,” Head coach Steve Bietau said. “They trailed the entire match until they broke serve at seven. Once that momentum changed, they broke through and were really solid.”

Added Simosa: “There was a point where the match was really tight and we fought hard during that game and won it. It really encouraged us to keep fighting. The team was pretty good at the back and it was hard at the beginning to put pressure on. Then we kind of figured out a way of keeping pressure on and a way to go to the net. Maria was great, too. Every time they hit the ball to her she put it back in play.”

Tamar Kvaratskhelia (kah-vah-RATSK-heel-yah) earned a hat-trick victory with her third career win over Arkansas’ Mayori Franco. Kvaratskhelia and Franco met earlier this year at the Missouri Mock Duals and have produced three very competitive matches. Kvaratskhelia jumped to an early lead with a 6-2 win but needed a third set 6-1 victory to advance to Saturday’s quarter-finals.

“She’s played her three times and won both of the two previous meetings, but they were both close,” Bietau said. “It’s tough to beat somebody that you’ve played three times. She was fortunate to get through and win again.”

Kvaratskhelia and Katerina Kudlackova (kud-LATCH-cove-ah) also picked up another doubles victory and will join Simosa and Perevoschikova in Saturday’s quarter-final play.

Kudlackova was eliminated from singles competition after falling to Colorado’s Veera Nurmi in a competitive three set battle, 4-6, 6-1, 7-6. Nurmi upset the No. 2 seed in the tournament on Thursday.

Simosa and Perevoschikova will continue their run against BYU’s Olga Boulytcheva and Sofia Holden and Kudlackova and Kvaratskhelia will face Arkansas’ Ela Kaluder and Aurelija Miseviciute when quarter-final doubles play begins at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. Kudlackova and Kvaratskhelia lost an 8-4 decision to Kaluder and Miseviciute on September 25 at the Missouri Mock Duals.

Kvaratskhelia will be the first Wildcat player to take the court on Saturday when she faces Colorado’s Monica Milevski at 10:00 a.m. in the quarter-finals of the main draw and Simosa begins consolation singles play at 10:15 a.m. on against Kansas’ Christine Skoda. Saturday’s competition will consist of two singles rounds and two doubles rounds.

k-statesports.com

2005 ITA Central Region Tournament

Eccles Tennis Center University of Utah

Day Three Results Main Draw

Friday, October 21

Singles

Round of 32

Tamar Kvaratskhelia (KSU) def. Lauren Simmons (Oklahoma State), 6-1, 6-2

Veera Nurmi (Colorado) def. Katerina Kudlackova (KSU), 4-6, 6-1, 7-6

Round of 16

Tamar Kvaratskhelia (KSU) def. Mayori Franco (Arkansas), 6-2, 4-6, 6-1

Consolation Singles

Jessica Simosa (KSU) vs. Kat Bushy (Air Force), 7-5, 6-1

Doubles

Round of 16

Perevoschikova/Simosa (KSU) def. Milevski/Vanderdys (Colorado), 9-7

Kudlackova/Kvaratskhelia (KSU) def. Castillejos/Zugner (Nebraska), 8-3