TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The IUP women's tennis team concluded its third day of competition at the ITA Division II National Championships on Friday, highlighted by a three-set singles victory from junior Ifigeneia Kafka.
The Crimson Hawks competed in three matches on the final day of the tournament, with Kafka securing IUP's lone victory of the day against Magdalena Nunez Pureco of Fresno Pacific University.
Kafka opened her singles match with a convincing 6-1 victory in the first set before Nunez Pureco responded with a 7-6 (9-7) win in the second set to force a decisive third. Kafka regained control in the final set, earning a 6-2 victory to close out her national championship appearance on a high note.
The victory marked Kafka's first singles win of the tournament after dropping a straight-set match to Ferris State's Madeline Peisley on Wednesday and a three-set contest against Thomas Jefferson's Anouk Oderkerk on Thursday.
In doubles competition, IUP's Chia Ying Lu and Asel Calbay faced their second nationally seeded opponent in as many days, taking on sixth-seeded Evi Roobol and Kaia Sperry of Hawaii Pacific University.
The Crimson Hawks pushed the opening set to a tiebreaker before falling, 7-6 (7-5). Lu and Calbay continued to battle in the second set but ultimately dropped a 7-5 decision.
The pairing concluded the national tournament with a 1-2 record, highlighted by a straight-set victory over Angelo State's Benedetta Raggiotti and Margaux Rene on the opening day of competition.
IUP's other doubles pairing of Charliz Tabili and Kafka faced Klara Podskubkova and Katharina Weber of Mississippi College. The Crimson Hawks fell in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3, to conclude their national championship appearance.
Tabili and Kafka finished the tournament 0-3, having previously battled Embry-Riddle and Washburn in their opening two matches.
The Crimson Hawks concluded the three-day event with two victories across singles and doubles competition, gaining valuable experience against some of the top players and doubles teams in NCAA Division II.
IUP's four representatives earned their spots at the national championships following a strong showing at the ITA Atlantic Region Championships in October. Lu and Calbay captured the regional doubles title, while Tabili and Kafka finished as regional runners-up. Kafka also earned a national singles berth after reaching the regional championship match.
The tournament marked the conclusion of IUP's fall competition as the Crimson Hawks turn their attention toward the spring portion of their schedule.
