INDIANAPOLIS – The Greyhounds are back and haven't skipped a beat. After coming off the programs most successful season in program history in 2020-21, the Greyhounds have added more depth and different play styles to their roster.
The Greyhounds dominated the ITA Midwest Regional by taking first in both the A Doubles Draw and A Singles Draw, along with the B Singles Draw to make for an incredible weekend and will begin prepping to send their regional champions to Nationals.
Anna Novikova and newcomer
Bella Dunlap took home the first place in doubles over the weekend, going 5-0, defeating fellow Hounds,
Kristina Lagoda and
Lea Cakarevic in the semifinals, 8-4, to advance to the championship and take the win 6-1, 6-4.
Bella Dunlap, who will chase a ball in any direction and then slam it back down her opponents throat, made an instant impact on the Hounds team both on and off the court with her enthusiasm and grit. Dunlap was seeded fifth in the A Draw to begin the tournament but after five wins found herself in the finals where she faced Greyhounds ace,
Anna Novikova, and took the win 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
Novikova, a skill player who has been a top player for the Greyhounds for years because of her precise placement of the ball and intensity, held the number one seed throughout the tournament and lived up to that number by going 5-0 to the finals, falling to Dunlap.
Lea Cakarevic proved to be a force to reconned with, playing with team sparkplug and natural leader,
Kristina Lagoda, in doubles and earning a record of 4-1. Then carrying her own in the B Draw singles bracket. She was seeded number one, and with a 5-0 record earned her first ITA Midwest Regional Champion honor. Lagoda, earned a record in singles of 2-1.
Veterans
Sofia Sharonova and
Maria Solnyshkina found themselves in the quarterfinals of the doubles bracket, going 2-1. While they both made it to the quarterfinals in the singles bracket as well, earning records of 3-1 each.
Overall, the Hounds earned a singles record of 24 - 4 to kick of the season and a doubles record of 9- 2. ITA Nationals will be held in Rome, GA on Oct. 14.
