IOWA CITY, Iowa – South Dakota women's tennis recorded a program best during the International Tennis Association (ITA) Central Regional Championships hosted by the University of Iowa that concluded a five-day run on Monday.
 
The Coyotes sent a program best three singles players into the main draw, a draw that included 128 players amongst the 28 teams in the ITA Central Region.
 
Jana Lazarevic, Habiba Aly and Sonia Skobkareva all competed in the main draw in one of the toughest regions in the United States.
 
South Dakota also had two of its three doubles teams win a match during the championships.
 
"We've been preparing and building toward our regional all fall," coach Brett Barnett said. "The Central Region is one of the hardest in the nation and unlike some other regions there aren't any easy matches out there.
 
"I am so proud with how hard they competed every point and mentally how solid we were in every match. It was cold, windy and we had two 13-hour days and they were ready to go each time they had to play. This was by far the best we've every played in this tournament. Everyone that came stepped up and contributed."
 
Aly and Skobkareva each won a pair of matches in the qualifying round to reach the main draw, each finishing the event with a 2-1 record.
 
Aly, a fifth-year senior, posted victories over Andrijana Brkic from Northern Iowa (6-3, 6-1) and Thea Rice of Arkansas State (6-3, 7-6). She dropped a three-set battle to Tulsa's Maria Berlanga in the round of 128.
 
Skobkareva, a freshman, defeated Mya Spencer from St. Louis (6-2, 6-3) and Wichita State's Harriet Hamilton (6-2, 4-6, 10-8). She fell in the round of 128 to Minnesota's Maria Rizzolo.
 
Lazarevic, a fifth-year senior, went 2-2 during the championships, falling in her round of 128 match to Wichita State's Natsumi Kurahashi (6-3, 6-2) before bouncing back and going 2-1 in consolation play. She defeated Missouri's Gabriela Martinez (6-4, 6-4) and Arkansas State's Hunter Roper (7-5, 6-1) before falling in the consolation quarterfinal round to Nebraska's Jillian Roa.
 
Bea Havlickova, a freshman, went 1-1 in qualifying round play, posting a win over Joanna Cardona from Kansas City (3-6, 6-4, 10-3) before falling to Missouri's Emelie Schwarte.
 
Berta Girbau and Natka Kmošková each suffered first round losses in qualifying round play.
 
"We looked really good in singles all tournament," said Barnett. "What an effort by Biba and Sonia each winning two matches and qualifying for the main draw and giving us the most players there we've ever had. 
 
"Sonia is improving at such a quick pace and beat a good St Louis player and then had a huge win over a 5th year player from Wichita State. Biba came through with a win against Arkansas State's No. 1.  Both played well in their main draw and lost in three sets. Bea had a nice win over UMKC. Jana didn't play great in her first round but showed how resilient she is and played some great tennis and beat Missouri and Arkansas State."
 
The doubles teams of Skobkareva/Girbau and Kmoskova/Havlickova each won a match in the round of 128 while both, along with the duo of Lazarevic and Aly dropped matches in the round of 64.
 
Skobkareva and Girbau defeated Stephani/Neville from Drake 6-4 while Kmoskova/Havlickova downed SIUE's Perez/Reinicke 6-3.
 
"It was great that Sonia/Berta and Nat/Bea each won their first-round doubles match and each team played well the next round against some top teams," said Barnett. "It's rewarding to see the team play so well after all the work they've been putting in.
 
"We need to recover and then finish the fall strong at NIU."
 
South Dakota will close the fall season at the Northern Illinois Huskie Indoor Invitational that begins Friday in Dekalb, Illinois.