April 21, 2008

Lady Tigers finish just short of qualifying for nationals

Despite another No. 1 singles title from Kasia Siwosz and another No. 1 doubles title from Siwosz (pictured) and Karolina Porizkova, it was not enough to lift the Cowley College women’s tennis team into the top-three spots at the Region Tournament played Friday and Saturday at Wichita’s Riverside Tennis Center.

Needing to finish among the top-three teams in the region in order to qualify for the national tournament, Cowley finished one-point behind third place Johnson County.

“We had a couple of matches that we lost, that if we would have won, would have put us over the top,” Cowley head coach Josh Cobble said. “However, we had an excellent season in terms of growth and almost capped it off with a berth to nationals.”

Siwosz, the defending national champion at No. 1 singles, defeated Barton County’s Le Nguyen Thuy Trang 6-1, 6-1 in the title match. She also teamed with Porizkova to defeat a team from Barton County in the finals of No. 1 doubles.

“Kasia went out and took care of business,” Cobble said.

Porizkova advanced to the finals of No. 2 singles, where she lost a hard fought three-setter against Barton County’s Kateryna Chorna 6-2, 5-7, 3-6. After winning the first set, Porizkova led the second set 5-0 before Chorna rallied.

Cowley freshman Thea Lonewolf played well and won her third place match against Johnson County’s Natalie De Jesus 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 at No. 4 singles.

“She capped off her season with a big win,” Cobble said.

Monica Medina and Cassie Powell each played their final matches for the Lady Tigers, while Lonewolf and Elizabeth Galindo will be back next season.

Siwosz and Porizkova will now prepare to represent Cowley at the NJCAA Women’s National Tournament May 3-9 in Tucson, AZ.

“They have a shot to win national titles again,” Cobble said.

Barton County captured the region title, while Seward County finished second.

Results:
DOUBLES
•No. 1 — Karolina Porizkova/Kasia Siwosz (CC) defeated Shelly Barger/ Clanoia Voicu (Johnson) 6-0, 6-2; Porizkova/Siwosz (CC) defeated Kateryna Chorna/Le Nguyen Thuy Trang (Barton) 6-4, 6-2 in title match.
•No. 2 — Thea Lonewolf/Monica Medina (CC) defeated Amanda Medina/Shannon Rohlman (Hutchinson) 6-2, 6-1; Lonewolf/Medina (CC) lost to Gabriela Balarin/Jessica Klug (Barton) 6-2, 3-6, 3-6; Lonewolf/Medina (CC) lost to Allison Bloom/Natalie De Jesus (Johnson) 1-6, 4-6 in third place match.
•No. 3 — Elizabeth Galindo/Cassie Powell (CC) lost to Rebecca Crotinger/Etienne Nyska  0-6, 0-6; Elizabeth Galindo/Cassie Powell (CC) lost to Marie Cellitti/Schnose Vika (Johnson) 1-6, 1-6 in third place match.

SINGLES
•No. 1 — Siwosz (CC) defeated Voicu (Johnson) 6-0, 6-2; Siwosz (CC) defeated Nguyen Thuy Trang (Barton) 6-1, 6-1 in title match.
•No. 2 — Porizkova (CC) defeated Snaela Dejanovic (Seward) 7-5, 6-2; Porizkova (CC) lost to Kateryna Chorna (Barton) 6-2, 5-7, 3-6 in title match.
•No. 3 — Medina (CC) defeated Shannon Rohlman (Hutchinson) 6-0, 6-0; Medina (CC) lost to Nyska (Barton) 0-6, 4-6; Medina (CC) lost to Juliana Boas (Seward) 3-6, 5-7 in third place match.
•No. 4 — Lonewolf (CC) lost to Valerie Stevens (Seward) 1-6, 0-6; Lonewolf (CC) defeated Natalie De Jesus (Johnson) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in third place match.
•No. 5 — Galindo (CC) lost to Britnee Catlin (Hutchinson) 2-6, 2-6.
•No. 6 — Powell (CC) lost to Alyssa Larson (Seward) 3-6, 2-6; Powell (CC) lost to Alexis Crowther (Barton) 3-6, 0-6 in third place match.