Senior Blair Shankle opened the USTA/ITA Intercollegiate National Championships with a hard fought singles win on Thursday in straight sets, 6-4, 7-6 (4), over Jessica Livianu of St. John’s.
Shankle, the 54th-ranked player nationally, advances to meet the tournament’s No. 2 seed Ena Shibahara of UCLA in the round of 16 on Friday. The Dallas, Texas, native owns an 8-1 singles record in the fall season.
After receiving a bye in the first round of doubles, sophomore Elizabeth Profit and Shankle faced Florida’s Josie Kuhlman and Belinda Woolcock. The duo fell to Florida, 6-3, 6-1, marking its first defeat of the fall.
The Baylor pair will work its way through the consolation bracket beginning Friday. The match time and opponents have yet to be set.
Links to UTSA/ITA National Intercollegiate Championship live scoring and the live stream are available on the women's tennis schedule page at www.baylorbears.com.
TOP QUOTE
“It was a tough match today,” senior Blair Shankle said. “My opponent was a big hitter, flat-ball hitter and hit some winners, so I had to be mentally tough to stay in it and fight for every point. I’m happy to get through the first round and want to extend my stay here in New York as long as possible and play some good matches.”
WHAT'S NEXT
Senior Blair Shankle meets No. 2 seed Ena Shibahara of UCLA in the round of 16 of the USTA/ITA Intercollegiate National Championship Friday. The match begins at 8 a.m. (CT).
The doubles duo of Shankle and sophomore Elizabeth Profit will play its way through the consolation doubles bracket starting tomorrow. The doubles opponent and match start time has yet to be announced.
