Knoxville, TN – Jana Leder, Denise Torrealba, and Melody Hefti earned a trio of victories on Austin Peay State University (APSU) women’s tennis’ first day of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Ohio Valley Regionals, Wednesday, at the Goodfriend Tennis Center.
Leder, Torrealba and Hefti all won both of their qualifying singles matches to advance to the main draw, Thursday. The trio and Yu-Hua Cheng also won their first round of qualifying doubles to advance to the next round tomorrow afternoon.
All three of Austin Peay State University’s singles victories came in straight sets, as Hefti picked up another considerable victory against Lampman, defeating her 6-0 6-1 for her second win of the day.
Torrealba defeated Chattanooga’s Caroline Gibbens, 6-2, 6-3, while Leder topped Belmont’s Viktoria Kliimand, 6-1, 6-4. Freshman Lucy Lascheck dropped a 6-0, 6-3 decision against Indiana’s Mila Mejic to open her stay at the event.
Similar to their first round of singles, Leder, Torrealba and Hefti cruised to straight-set victories in their final round of qualifying singles.
Leder defeated an ASUN Conference rival in Lipscomb’s Sofiia Paladi, 6-1, 6-3, while Hefti knocked off MTSU’s Alexis Love-Star, 6-1, 6-3 as well. Torrealba wrapped up the Govs’ victories on the day with another victory against Miami (OH)’s Nishitha Saravanan.
Leder plays the event’s top seed in Tennessee’s Rebeka Mertena – the 2022 ITA Ohio Valley Region Senior Player of the Year and a First Team All-SEC selection – while Hefti takes on No. 4 Holly Staff from Vanderbilt who was an ITA All-American last season. Lastly, Torrealba faces Miami’s Laura Rico, a 2022 First Team All-Mid-American Conference selection.
Day One Results
Qualifying Singles (Round of 256)
Jana Leder (APSU) def. Viktoria Kliimand (BEL), 6-1, 6-4
Mila Mejic (IU) def. Lucy Lascheck (APSU), 6-0, 6-3
Denise Torrealba (APSU) def. Caroline Gibbens (UTC), 6-2, 6-3
Melody Hefti (APSU) def. Grace Lampman (IUPUI), 6-0, 6-1
Qualifying Singles (Round of 128)
Jana Leder (APSU) def. Sofiia Paladi (LIP), 6-1, 6-3
Denise Torrealba (APSU) def. Nishitha (MU), 6-3, 6-4
Melody Hefti (APSU) def. Alexis Love-Star (MTSU), 6-1, 6-3
Qualifying Doubles (Round of 64)
Denise Torrealba / Yu-Hua Cheng (APSU) def. Laura Rico / Nishitha Saravanan (MU), 8-7 (4)
Melody Hefti / Jana Leder (APSU) def. Grace Lampman / Sarah Lounsbury (IUPUI), 8-1
Day Two Schedule
Qualifying Doubles (Round of 32) – All Times Central
Denise Torrealba / Yu-Hua Cheng (APSU) vs. Lauren Lemonds / Hu Xiaowei (IU) – 9:00am
Melody Hefti / Jana Leder (APSU) vs. Viktoria Kliimand / Abigail Solomon (BEL) – 9:00am
Main Draw Singles (Round of 64) – All Times Central
Jana Leder (APSU) vs. Rekeka Merena [1] (UT) – 2:00pm
Denise Torrealba (APSU) vs. Laura Rico (MU) – 10:30am
Melody Hefti (APSU) vs. Holly Staff [4] (VANDY) – 10:00am
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For news and updates ahead of the Governors’ inaugural ASUN Conference season, follow the women’s tennis team on Twitter (@GovsWTN), Instagram (@GovsTennis), and Facebook (Austin Peay Tennis).
