App State women’s tennis sent three singles competitors and two doubles teams to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association regional competition in Chapel Hill Oct. 16-21. Two players qualified for the main event, senior Savannah Dada-Mascoll and junior Taya Powell.
Dada-Mascoll went on to be crowned co-champion as she won three ranked matchups in six days. Her opponent in the final did not participate and they were both given share of first place.
Powell had a strong run in the qualifying rounds taking down two in-state opponents from Campbell University and Davidson College in quick two set matches. But, her tournament ended in the first round of the main draw, losing a two-set match 2-6 and 4-6.
Sophomore Ruby Broadbent fell in the qualifying rounds after a strong first set, but lost the final two of her opening matchup 3-6, 1-6.
The doubles were less than ideal for the Mountaineers as both teams lost in the first round. The team of Dada-Mascoll and Powell lost a close 7-8 (4-7) match against Charleston Southern University.
The freshman tandem of Sreenidhi Balaji and Allegra Hodson lost their matchup with the University of South Carolina 5-8.
Dada-Mascoll, the No. 106 ranked player in the nation, kicked off the tournament with a three-set thriller against Sia Cariov from the College of Charleston. The App State senior took sets one and three 6-4 as Cariov took set two 6-7.
She found herself facing off against No. 72 Mia Slama from NC State University after making quick work of Ava Krug from Duke in two sets. The match versus Slama went all three sets as Dada-Mascoll used a third set overtime return to win the match.
The Black and Gold veteran showed out in the quarterfinals and semifinals taking down two top-25 opponents in consecutive days. First against No. 24 Kaitlyn Carnicella from USC and then No. 12 Theodora Rabman from the University of North Carolina.
Dada-Mascoll had what could be considered her two best matches while a member of App State, winning both matches in two sets with ease. She won 6-3, 6-2 against Carnicella and 6-1, 6-3 against Rabman.
This event marks the second straight ITA event that Dada-Mascoll finished in a final, as she beat four highly ranked opponents at the ITA All America Invitational.
App State women’s tennis hits the courts again on Monday as they head to Sumter, South Carolina to participate in the Phillips L. Edwards Clay Court Championships. That event runs Oct. 27 through Nov. 2.
