Story by UNK Athletic Communications
Senior JazminZamorano won the 2023 ITA Central Regional singles title Sunday afternoon in Edmond, Okla. Going 6-0 in the three-day tournament and winning each match in straight sets, she now advances to the ITA Cup (formerly known as the ITA Small College Championships). That event is Oct. 12-16 in Rome, Ga., with seeding to be done later. Zamorano (Mexico) joins Vanessa Gunawan (2011) as Loper women to win a regional singles title; Gunawan went onto finish seventh. The three-day event was hosted by Central Oklahoma and featured "A", "B" and "C" singles and doubles draws, both championship and consolation. The "A" doubles winner also advances to Georgia. Zamorano didn't allow more than three points in any set, and it was a Loper party in the quarterfinals. Joining here there were freshman Fabiana Gamboa (Venezuela), junior Alexis Bernthal (Boulder, Colo.) and senior Melisa Becerra (Colombia).Gamboa beat Bernthal but then fell to Zamorano in the semis. On the other side of the bracket, Becerra lost 2-6, 7-5 (7-5), 3-10 to Augustana senior Florentia Hadjigeorgiou. Two rounds later, Zamorano beat Hadjigeorgiou 6-2, 6-0 in the finals. Next, freshman Julia Wartecka (Poland) was the "C" consolation singles champ by winning each of her final three matches in straight sets. Her one loss came in a third-set tiebreaker, 10-3. In doubles, Becerra and junior Narindra Ranaivo (Madagascar) upset the top seed, 8-4, in round one with Zamorano and junior Masha Hatouka (Belarus) winning twice before withdrawing. UNK hosts the Minnesota State Mavericks on Oct. 7 at a time to be announced. That dual will be outside, weather permitting.