Baylor women’s tennis advanced two players to the final day of competition at the ITA Texas Regional Championship Presented by Oracle after a successful 2-0 day Sunday afternoon at the Hurd Tennis Center.
Senior Blair Shankle and sophomore Elizabeth Profit opened doubles play with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over North Texas’ Maria Kononova and Tamuna Kutubidze, the tournament’s No. 8 seed. The win was the tournament No. 5 seed duo’s fourth-straight win and advances them to the doubles championship final.
“Liz and Blair really came to play today,” head coach Joey Scrivano said. “I’m proud of them and the entire team this week. We’re making progress.”
Shankle, the No. 2 seed in the singles bracket, also secured a spot in the championship final after she made quick work of sixth-seeded Rachel Pierson of Texas A&M, winning 6-2, 6-3 for her fifth-straight singles win at the event.
“Blair is an amazing competitor and to compete at the highest level of anything you need that,” Scrivano said. “She’s tough and is always looking for a way to win.”
The winners of both the singles and doubles final will clinch a spot at the ITA National Intercollegiate Championships in New York City on Nov. 3-6.
TOP QUOTES:
“I thought in doubles Liz and I came back really well today. We had a rocky start yesterday, but she played really well and picked it up, and we played well as a team today. We had good energy, and we’re really figuring out kind of where everyone is going on the court and figuring out how each other plays. In singles, it was a tough match, Rachel is a great player, but I played well and executed when I needed to and definitely did the game plan like I was supposed to.” - Senior Blair Shankle
WHAT’S NEXT
In the final day of the ITA Texas Regional Championship Presented by Oracle, fifth-seeded Blair Shankle and Elizabeth Profit face Texas Tech’s Sarah Dvorak and Sabrina Federici, the tournament’s No. 7 seed, Monday at 9 a.m. (CT) at the Hurd Tennis Center.
One hour following the conclusion of doubles play, No. 2 seed Blair Shankle will face No. 9 seed Neda Koprcina of Texas in the singles championship final.
