The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
ITA Southern Regionals
Boxx To play For USTA/ITA Southern Regional Title
10/23/2011 | Women's Tennis
Oct. 23, 2011
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Ole Miss women's tennis senior Kristi Boxx will play for the singles title at the USTA/ITA Southern Regional Championships Monday after winning twice on Sunday.
In the quarterfinals, Boxx, the No. 2 seed in the tournament, came back to beat the No. 8 seed, Jenny Pfeifler of Auburn 4-6, 6-4, 6-0. In the semifinals, Boxx took out Alexa Guarachi of Alabama 6-4, 6-4 to reach the finals at this event for the second time in her career. The Grenada native also made the finals in 2009 and now has reached at least the semifinals three straight years.
The singles final will pit the top two seeds, as Boxx faces top-seeded Mary Anne Macfarlane of Alabama, Monday. The two met earlier this year in the final of the Duke Invitational, with Macfarlane winning in straight sets.
Freshman Erin Stephens lost a close match to LSU's top player, Whitney Wolf, 6-4, 7-6 in the quarterfinals.
In the doubles semifinals, Boxx and fellow senior Abby Guthrie lost to Macfarlane and Guarachi (Alabama) 8-4.
"It was a great job by Kristi to come back and win her first match. She played really well in the third set. We are excited to have a finalist for the third year in a row," head coach Mark Beyers said. "Hopefully we can bring home the title this year. Erin played a solid match against LSU's top player and had a great tournament."
The winner of the match earns a berth in the USTA/ITA National Indoor next month in Flushing Meadow, N.Y.
USTA/ITA Southern Regional Championships - BIRMINGHAM, Ala.
Singles
Quarterfinals - Kristi Boxx (OM) def. Jenny Pfeifler (AU) 4-6, 6-4, 6-0; Whitney Wolf (LSU) def. Erin Stephens (OM) 6-4, 7-6. Semifinals - Boxx (OM) def. Alexa Guarachi (UA) 6-4, 6-4.
Doubles
Semifinals - Macfarlane/Guarachi (UA) def. Boxx/Guthrie (OM) 8-4.
