Santini heads solid showing for w. tennis

The Boston University’s women’s tennis team competed in the Wilson/Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s Women’s Eastern Regional Championship over the past four days. The winner earned a trip to the ITA National Championship at the tournament hosted by the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
‘This is the biggest tournament of the fall, with more than 80 Division-I schools participating,’ BU coach Lesley Sheehan said.
In doubles competition, the duo of freshman Stefanie Nunic and junior Francine Whu beat their opening-round opponents from Longwood University, 8-3. However, Nunic and Whu lost in the second round to the University of Richmond’s Erin Clark and Pamela Duran, 8-3.
BU fared better in singles action. Freshman Petra Santini won her opening’ match against Richmond’s Helen Cunningham, 6-1, 6-1. In the second round of qualifying play, Santini struggled in the first set but managed to put away William and Mary’s Carmen Pop, 7-5, 6-3. Going into her main draw opening-round match, Santini defeated Longwood’s Laura Simon, 6-0, 6-2. Santini fell short in the second round to Virginia Tech’s Inga Beerman, falling 6-1, 6-0.
Nunic had an opening-round bye in her main draw of singles matches, and went on to beat her first competitor, Lauren Bates, from Binghamton University by a score of 6-4, 6-2. In the next round, however, Nunic lost to Boston College’s Lana Krasnopolsky, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1.
Whu also held an opening-round bye, but lost her match against the University at Buffalo’s Denise Harijanto, 6-3, 6-2.
‘We had a good turnout. Obviously there are always some things we could do better,’ Sheehan said. ‘I’d like to work on our mental and physical shape. The matches are very long, and we got a little tired. It also was a long four-day tournament. I think that took a bit out of us. But I also saw that we can compete with some of the best teams in the region. I look at some of the top schools and think we are just as good as they are.’
Up next for the Terriers is this weekend’s inaugural Yale Invitational in New Haven, Conn.
‘It’ll be a tournament that the entire team will participate in, with eight singles and four doubles teams,’ Sheehan said. ‘I’m looking to change the doubles teams up, so that will be something to follow. The fall allows us to practice with our lineups for the spring season. We’re excited about playing in the first Yale Invitational. It could be a regular event for us.’