CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Norfolk State women's tennis team gathered momentum towards the upcoming spring season over the weekend while competing in the ITA Division I Women's Atlantic Regional Championship, hosted by the University of Virginia.
 
After falling to William & Mary's Sia Chaudry in the main draw, Sofiya Tsitavets went on an impressive run in the consolation section. The freshman took down Libery's Yu-Yun Chen 7-5, 6-2 for her first singles win of the tournament.
 
Tsitavets kept the momentum going, defeating Georgetown's Molly Evans in the next round. A fellow freshman, Evans had previously held the #2 overall ranking in the UTR Sports Global Player Ranking as a high school prospect.
 
Sabina Iurea did not qualify for the main draw, falling short in the qualifying rounds, but picked up a victory in the qualifying backdraw by besting Longwood's Oriana Izarra.
 
Tsitavets paired with Irina Iurea for a first-round triumph in the doubles draw, beating a Radford duo of Michaela Stephens and Brooke Murphy 8-4. The Spartan tandem had its run stopped by Old Dominion's Victoria Matasova and Lidia Rasskouskaia in the next round.
 
MAIN DRAW SINGLES
R64: Sia Chaudry (W&M) def. Sofiya Tsitavets (NSU) 7-5, 6-1
 
MAIN DRAW CONSOLATION
R64: Sofiya Tsitavets (NSU) def. Yu-Yun Chen (Liberty)) 7-5, 6-2
R32: Sofiya Tsitavets (NSU) def. Molly Evans (Georgetown) 6-2, 6-1
R:16 Semra Aksu (VT) def. Sofiya Tsitavets (NSU) by WD
 
QUALIFYING SINGLES
R64: Sadie Daavettila (Liberty) def. Irina Iurea (NSU) 6-3, 6-3
R64: Vaida Mauseviciute (GWU) def. Sabina Iurea (NSU) 7-5, 6-1
 
QUALIFYING CONSOLATION
Sabina Iurea (NSU) def. Oriana Izarra (Longwood)) 6-1, 6-0
Solange Skeene (GWU) def. Irina Iurea (NSU) 6-4, 6-2
 
DOUBLES
R64: Sofiya Tsitavets/Irina Iurea (NSU) def. Michaela Stephens/Brooke Murphy (Radford) 8-4
R64: Paige Massey/Maya Bayat (GMU) def. Sabina Iurea/Angelina Maniawska by WD
 
R32: Victoria Matasova/Lidiia Rasskouskaia (ODU) def. Sofiya Tsitavets/Irina Iurea 8-1