CHEN AND PATEL LEAD TIGERS AT ITA REGIONALS

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. – The Olivet Nazarene University women's tennis teams hosted the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Central East Regional at the Snowbarger Athletic Complex Thursday through Saturday. 

The duo of Chieh-Yu Chen and Nirva Patel made a strong run in the doubles bracket at the ITA Regionals. After receiving an opening-round bye, Chen and Patel defeated Gabriella Noa and Lieke Coenen from St. Francis (Ill.) in the second round via tiebreaker. In the quarterfinal round, the Tiger duo made quick work of Faith Griese and Mariana Azevado of Missouri Baptist in an 8-1 match. The end of Chen and Patel's ITA Regionals run came in an 8-4 defeat in the semifinal round at the hands of Cornerstone's Sarah Daza and Camila Ibarra. Patel also picked up an opening round 6-1, 6-0 win over Tamina Beer from Holy Cross.

Natasha Nieto and Susan Shin teamed up for a win in the opening round of the doubles bracket, taking down Julia Fleige and Amanda Dutkiewicz from St. Francis 8-2 to advance. The pair ultimately suffered the same fate as their teammates Chen and Patel, falling in the second-round match to Cornerstone's Daza and Ibarra 8-2.

The final Tiger duo to compete in the doubles bracket was Audrey Zoeteman and Amanda Listerman, who unfortunately could not get out of the first round, dropping their match 8-4 to Cornerstone's Katarina Vasiljkovic and Lara Dokic.

WHAT'S NEXT?

The ONU women's tennis team will travel to Mishawaka, Ind. to take on Bethel. The time for the match is yet to be determined.

--ONU—

*Contact, Evan Wild, Sports Information Director, ewwild@olivet.edu