Tiger tennis players dominate the ITA Regional Championship

Hosting the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Regional Championship Friday through Sunday in Arkansas City, the Cowley College men's and women's tennis teams dominated the competition and qualified four athletes for the ITA Cup in Rome, GA.

Competing against athletes from Iowa Central, Seward, and Pratt, the Tiger tennis teams advanced their athletes to the finals in each single and doubles match.

On the men's side, the doubles champion was the team of Bruno Nhavene and Reiya Komagata as they defeated Alejandro Gonzalez and Omar Suarez 7-6, 7-5 in the finals.

Komagata then defeated Alejandro Gonzalez in the singles final by a 6-3, 6-2 score.

On the women's side, freshman Yerkezhan Arystanbekova defeated Arina Babenko 6-1, 6-1 in the singles final, securing herself a spot at the ITA national championship. Babenko and Arystanbekova would go on to win the doubles draw by defeating Mariana Jimenez and Akari Tomoyose in the final. 

"We had a very successful weekend," Cowley head coach Arianna Raga said. "I am very happy with the team; they all played extremely hard and gave it their all. I am really looking forward to seeing the winners perform at the ITA CUP on October 12."

A meeting will be held Thursday to see if one of Cowley's other finalists in singles and doubles gets a wildcard invitation to compete at the ITA Cup.