STANFORD, Calif. — Senior Mayya Gorbunova advanced to the round of 16 against some of the region's top competition, while newcomer Elena Mercioiu punched a ticket to the round of 32 in singles over the weekend, as the Sacramento State women's tennis team wrapped up play at the ITA Northwest Regionals hosted by Stanford.
It marked the second consecutive season that the Hornets have had a student-athlete reach the final 16 in this competition as Gorbunova followed in the footsteps of teammate Lou Baudouin, who finished 3-1 to reach the "Sweet 16" last year. Prior to that, Sacramento State hadn't had a student-athlete advance that far since Tatsiana Kapshai in 2011.
The senior opened the tournament with a three-set win over Santa Clara's Jenna Gordon (3-6, 6-3, 6-4), then cruised past UC Davis' Arianna Stavropoulos (7-6 [5], 6-1) and Washington State's Elyse Tse (6-3, 6-1) in straight sets. Gorbunova's run then came to an end against third-seeded and No. 26-ranked Connie Ma of Stanford, who advanced with a 6-3, 6-3, victory.
Mercioiu, meanwhile, made a run of her own into the round of 32 with each of her matches decided in three sets. She bounced back from an opening set loss to start the tournament with a win over San Francisco's Qianer Qiu (4-6, 6-2, 6-4), then defeated California's Makenna Thiel, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2. Mercioiu then had her run ended by San Jose State's Cheuk Ying Shek, 7-5, 4-6, 6-3.
Senior Best Lee, freshman Irene Riva, and junior Maddy Ferreros also opened their tournaments with first-round victories. Lee defeated Gonzaga's Caroline Wernli in straight sets, 7-5, 7-5, while Riva took down another Bulldog in Gonzaga's Kianna Oda, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Ferreros also went three sets, defeating Santa Clara's Finley Kalinic, 6-3, 2-6, 6-2.
After losing their opening matches, Grace McSkimming and Weronika Ejsmont posted wins in the consolation bracket, with the former defeating UC Davis' Mika Ikemori, 6-0, 2-6, 11-9, and the latter defeating San Francisco's Alicia Yue, 6-3, 7-5.
In doubles, the tandem of Ferreros and Riva were the only Hornet duo to post a win, opening the tournament with an 8-5 victory over San Jose State's Carolina Millan and Irena Muradyan.
Following this weekend's results, Gorbunova improved to 5-2 overall this fall in singles play, standing one win behind Riva, who suffered her first singles loss in seven chances, moving to 6-1 on the year. McSkimming improved to 4-2 to stand third on the team in wins, while Mercioiu evened her mark at 3-3 overall. In doubles, Ferreros and Riva won their third match of the year.
Sacramento State has one more fall event left on its schedule, making the short trip to Moraga, Calif., to compete at the Saint Mary's Fall Invitational on Oct. 27-29.
ITA NORTHWEST REGIONALS
Hosted by Stanford
Oct. 13-15, 2023
Singles - Main Draw
R128 - Best Lee (SAC) def. Caroline Wernli (GON), 7-5, 7-5
R64 - Delanie Dunkle (CP) def. Best Lee (SAC), 6-2, 6-3
R128 - Irene Riva (SAC) def. Kianna Oda (GON), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
R64 - Matilde Magrini (FS) def. Irene Riva (SAC), 6-7 (10), 7-5, 6-1
R128 - Mayya Gorbunova (SAC) def. Jenna Gordon (SCU), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
R64 - Mayya Gorbunova (SAC) def. Arianna Stavropoulos (UCD), 7-6 (5), 6-1
R32 - Mayya Gorbunova (SAC) def. Elyse Tse (WSU), 6-3, 6-1
R16 - (3) #26 Connie Ma (STAN) def. Mayya Gorbunova (SAC), 6-3, 6-3
QR - Grace McSkimming (SAC) def. Gianna Maestro (FS), 8-1
R128 - (5) #54 Alexis Blokhina (STAN) def. Grace McSkimming (SAC), 6-1, 6-0
R128 - Maddy Ferreros (SAC) def. Finley Kalinic (SCU), 6-3, 2-6, 6-2
R64 - Lunda Kumhom (WSU) def. Maddy Ferreros (SAC), 5-7, 6-4, 6-2
R128 - Alaia Rubio Perez (POR) def. Weronika Ejsmont (SAC), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
R128 - Elena Mercioiu (SAC) def. Qianer Qiu (USF), 4-6, 6-2, 6-4
R64 - Elena Mercioiu (SAC) def. Makenna Thiel (CAL), 6-3, 2-6, 6-2
R32 - Cheuk Ying Shek (SJSU) def. Elena Mercioiu (SAC), 7-5, 4-6, 6-3
Singles - Consolation/Additional Matches
Grace McSkimming (SAC) def. Mika Ikemori (UCD), 6-0, 2-6, 11-9
Grace McSkimming (SAC) def. Makoto Ohara (PSU), 6-1, 6-1
Weronika Ejsmont (SAC) def. Alicia Yue (USF), 6-3, 7-5
Lia Espinal (GON) def. Weronika Ejsmont (SAC), 6-3, 6-4
Ella Nielsen (GON) def. Best Lee (SAC), 6-2, 6-4
Maddy Ferreros (SAC) def. Kacey Feng (SCU), 6-2, 6-1
Maddy Ferreros (SAC) def. Martina Markov (WSU), 4-6, 7-5, 10-8
Doubles - Main Draw
R64 - Maddy Ferreros / Irene Riva (SAC) def. Carolina Millan / Irena Muradyan (SJSU), 8-5
R32 - (8) Astrid Olsen / Alexis Jacobs (UW) adv. Maddy Ferreros / Irene Riva (SAC), walkover
R64 - India Houghton / Valencia Xu (STAN) def. Weronika Ejsmont / Best Lee (SAC), 8-1
R64 - (7) Mao Mushika / Hannah Viller Moeller (CAL) def. Mayya Gorbunova / Elena Mercioiu (SAC), 8-4
Doubles - Consolation/Additional Matches
Weronika Ejsmont / Best Lee def. Sarah MacCallum / Amy Leather (CP), 7-6 (6)
Jo Yee Chan / Nina Geissler (UO) def. Maddy Ferreros / Grace McSkimming (SAC), 6-2
