Oklahoma State Tennis Players Advance in Regional Championships

January 22, 2009 | Cowgirl Tennis

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - The fifth-ranked JoAnne Karaitiana and Nataliya Shatkovskaya tandem defeated University of New Mexico's duo to advance to the round of 16 in the 2008 ITA Women's Tennis Regional Championships.

Karaitiana stormed past BYU's Chie Hayasaka in the opening round of the singles draw. The sophomore from Melbourne, Australia, won in straight sets, 6-2, 7-6 (5). Shatkovskaya fell against sixth-ranked Ola Abou-Zerky from the University of New Mexico in two close sets, 7-6 (4), 7-6(4).

Cowgirls Maryna Tkachenko and Galina Semenov were eliminated, 9-8, in a tight match against Wyoming's tandem in the opening round of the doubles draw. Tkachenko fell in the first round of singles play to Anouk Tigu, 6-2, 6-3.

Karaitiana will face fourth-ranked Ana Maria Contantinescu of Oklahoma in the singles round of 32 on Friday. She and Shatkovskaya will face Boise State's tandem Friday morning.