TCU
ITA Southwest Regional
Munch-Soegaard Wins Wilson/ITA Southwest Regional Crown
10/27/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Oct. 27, 2008
FORT WORTH, Texas - Nina Munch-Soegaard will make her first appearance at the ITA National Indoor Championships after winning the Wilson/ITA Southwest Regional Singles title Monday at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center. The Horned Frog duo of Macall Harkins and Anna Sydorska advanced to the finals, but fell in a tough battle with the No. 11 pairing of Megan Falcon and Mykala Hedberg from LSU.
The Amarillo, Texas native solidified a spot at the ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships held Nov. 6-9 at the University of Virginia's Boyd Tinsley Tennis Center at Boar's Head Sports Club.
"We are really excited that we had representation in the finals of both singles and doubles. The doubles came really close and Nina came out on fire," TCU head coach Jefferson Hammond said. "She had one of the best tournaments that I can remember a player having in the Regional in the last five years. I'm very happy for her as she has waited a couple of years to put herself in this position. She really showed just how much she enjoys the stage and the big match."
Munch-Soegaard, ranked 47th by the ITA in singles play, claimed the title by defeating No. 34-4th seed Taylor Ormond from Baylor, 6-0, 6-3. She took down the 15th-, 24th- and 34th-ranked players in the nation to earn the singles crown.
Harkins and Sydorska entered the finals after topping No. 12 and four seed Vanja Corovic and Marija Milic from UT, 8-2. After jumping on the Tigers 2-0 to start the match, the Horned Frog team slowly watched the lead slip away, falling to LSU, 8-4. TCU's ninth-seeded duo of Maria Babanova and Munch-Soegaard sent the eventual champions to the title game, after catching themselves in an early deficit against Falcon and Hedberg, dropping the semifinal match, 8-3.
In the singles consolation finals, TCU freshman Kayla Duncan picked up her fifth singles win of the tournament, topping LSU's Nicole Kantor, 6-2, 6-2. The Winston-Salem, N.C., native dropped her opening singles match to No. 116 Morgan Frank on Friday and battled her way through the consolation draw, taking down players from LSU, Baylor, Texas Tech and University of Texas-Arlington.
"I was really pleased with Kayla winning the back draw finals," Hammond said. "That road can be as tough in certain rounds as the main draw. She showed a standard of excellence and willingness to compete, regardless of opponent, conditions or score."
Wilson/ITA Southwest Regional Championship
Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center - Fort Worth, Texas
Singles Main Draw (Finals)
No. 47-6th Seed Nina Munch-Soegaard (TCU) def. No. 34-4th Seed Taylor Ormond (BU) 6-0, 6-3
Doubles Main Draw (Finals)
No. 11-3rd Seed Falcon/Hedberg (LSU) def. No. 9-2nd Seed Harkins/Sydorska (TCU) 8-4
Doubles Main Draw (Semifinals)
No. 9-2nd Seed Harkins/Sydorska (TCU) def. No. 12-4th Seed Corovic/Milic (UT) 8-2
No. 11-3rd Seed Falcon/Hedberg (LSU) def. 9th Seed Babanova/Munch-Soegaard (TCU) 8-3
Singles Consolation West Draw (Finals)
Kayla Duncan (TCU) def. Nicole Kantor (LSU) 6-2, 6-2
Players Mentioned
