Trio of Women’s Tennis Team Travel to South Carolina for ITA Regionals
Hala Awad, Maria del Mar Sarda Marti and Belen Blasco will represent the Eagles
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VIDEO: Nathan Gangelhoff Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – After opening its fall season this past weekend at the LMU Invitational, three members of the women's tennis team will head to the ITA Fall Southeast Regional this weekend.
Head tennis coach Nathan Gangelhoff announced Hala Awad and All-SAC honoree Maria del Mar Sarda Marti will play in the singles round. Then Awad will join forces with Belen Blasco in doubles.
The Eagles put together an up-and-down performance over the weekend at Lincoln Memorial, showing strength in doubles and pushing through a weather-riddled singles round.
"We competed well in doubles. Doubles were not a strong point for us last spring, so I really wanted to harp on getting good in doubles and being confident that no matter who I put you with," Gangelhoff said. "It was a weird environment going indoors, we've never practiced indoors. So, I'm proud of our girls who fought, they really competed in singles."
Mar Sarda Marti was stellar in her first campaign with the Eagles. The Barcelona native went 16-1 in singles, with an 8-1 mark in SAC play. She was named Second Team All-SAC for singles play and Third Team All-SAC in doubles.
The senior was 1-2 in doubles and dropped her singles match at LMU this past weekend.
"She's such a baller, she's so fun to watch, you watch her play and you're just in awe of what she can do with the tennis ball," Gangelhoff said. "I think this is a big year for her, because she has high expectations and goals for herself. I'm excited to see what she's going to do at ITAs and what she's going to be able to do against good competition. So, I think the best is still yet to come for her."
Awad enjoyed a successful first season at C-N with a 9-3 singles record, including a perfect 5-0 in SAC play. On the doubles side, she was 9-6. The senior picked up a win in her lone singles match in three sets at LMU.
"That was a new pairing that Edisa and I had talked about, and you never know until you put it into practice, and the practices went well. So, we're like, okay, let's try it at LMU,' and it went very well at LMU," Gangelhoff said. "I think just having two senior players together, I don't think there can be many bad things to go wrong when we put those doubles combos together, so I'm excited to see what they do."
As for Blasco, she arrives in Jefferson City following four years at Louisiana State University at Alexandria. At LMU, Awad and Blasco went 0-3 in tightly contested doubles contests.
"I just love her experience. Her tennis mind is so smart and has such a high quality of tennis IQ and strategy," Gangelhoff said. "I'm super excited to see what she can bring to our team throughout the year, not just for herself, but to help her teammates as well."
The ITA Fall Southeast Regional begins on Friday, September 26, at the Palmetto Tennis Center in Sumter, South Carolina.
