The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
ITA Southern Regionals
Women's Tennis Continues Strong Play At Southern Regionals
10/22/2011 | Women's Tennis
Oct. 22, 2011
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Ole Miss women's tennis team continued its strong play at the USTA/ITA Southern Regional Championships Saturday, placing two in the singles quarterfinals and one team in the doubles semifinals.
In the morning, the top-seeded senior duo of Kristi Boxx and Abby Guthrie dominated LSU's Whitney Wolf and Olivia Howlett 8-1 to reach the semifinals. They will face the fourth seed, Mary Anne Macfarlane and Alexa Guarachi of Alabama Sunday at 9 a.m., seeking to advance to the finals for the second year in a row.
The Rebels had four in the round of 16 in singles, and two moved on to the quarterfinals. Boxx, the No. 2 seed, defeated Caroline Magnusson of Tulane 7-5, 6-3. She will meet Jenny Pfeifler of Auburn Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
Joining Boxx in the quarterfinals is freshman Erin Stephens. Stephens allowed her opponent, seventh-seeded Mariam Kurdaze (Tulane), only one game in a 6-0, 6-1 win.
Should Boxx and Stephens win, they will have to play the semifinals later Sunday.
In the other two round of 16 matches for the Rebels, sophomore Caroline Rohde-Moe and freshman Julia Jones both lost. Jones lost to Alabama senior Alexa Guarachi 6-4, 6-1. Rohde-Moe had chances to win her match against Mississippi State's Ekaterina Iakovleva. After falling behind 6-1 and 2-1, Rohde-Moe rallied to win the second set 6-3. The 75th-ranked player in the nation and fifth seed then gained a 4-1 lead in the final set, before Iakovleva came back to win it 6-4.
"We are happy to have two in the singles quarterfinals and doubles team in the semifinals," head coach Mark Beyers said. Erin played great in singles as did Kristi. Caroline was down and then came back. She got a little tight in the last set, but I have to give the Mississippi State girl credit, she played very well."
USTA/ITA Southern Regional Championships - BIRMINGHAM, Ala.
Singles
Round of 16 - Kristi Boxx (OM) def. Caroline Magnusson (TUL) 7-5, 6-3; Erin Stephens (OM) def. Mariam Kurdaze (TUL) 6-0, 6-1; Ekaterina Iakovleva (MSU) def. Caroline Rohde-Moe (OM) 6-1, 3-6, 6-4; Alexa Guarachi (UA) def. Julia Jones (OM) 6-4, 6-1.
Doubles
Quarterfinals - Boxx/Guthrie (OM) def. Whitney Wolf/Howlett (LSU) 8-1; Mary Anne Macfarlane/Guarachi (UA) def. Stephens/Gabby Rangel (OM) 8-4.
Doubles Consolation
First round -- Paige Keating/Iris Verboven (OM) def. Polak/Rocher (ULM) 8-6. Second round - Keating/Verboven (OM) def. Bazhanova/Williams (NSU) 8-6.
