Women's Tennis | 5/20/2024 2:36:00 PM

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla.—After advancing to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the 27th time, the top-ranked Barry Buccaneers will face #15 Nebraska-Kearney in the Women's Tennis National Tournament on Tuesday. 

Women's Tennis - Tuesday, May 21, 4:00 pm; Sanlando Park

The Bucs, six-time defending national champions, are 21-4 on the season, with wins this season at both the ITA Indoor Championship and the Sunshine State Conference Tournament. They are playing in the NCAA Quartefinals for the seventh-straight year, 27 overall, which is an NCAA record. They advanced with a 4-0 win over the St. Thomas Aquinas Spartans on Monday.

The Bucs boast three players and one doubles team featured in the ITA Rankings. Alina Michalitsch, who plays in the top flight, is ranked 38th nationally. She is 14-5 on the season, including a 7-2 mark at No. 1. She provided the clinching point in the Round of 16 match with St. Thomas Aquinas. Viktoriia Dema is ranked No. 38 playing in the second slot. She is 16-4 on the season, including 7-3 at number two. She won the first singles match against the Spartans on Monday. Clara Versier, who has won 33 consecutive singles matches, is ranked 70th. She had a 16-0 mark for the Bucs this year, including 6-0 at number six, her usual spot in the lineup. She also won her singles match against STAC. 

In doubles, The Pair of Dema and Dinara Alloiarova are ranked 34th. Playing together all spring, the pair has posted an 18-4 mark, including a 5-2 record since moving up to the top flight. 

The Antelopes are 21-5 this season, having beaten Azusa Pacific 4-1 on Monday to advance to the quarterfinals. 

The Antelopes have two ranked singles players and one doubles pair. Jazmin Zamorano is ranked 32nd, while Fabiana Gamboa clocks in at number 45. Zamorano is 12-10 this season, including 3-5 at the top flight after losing 6-1, 6-1 to APU's Madison Kane (#8). Gamboa, who plays from the fourth flight, is 16-8 this year, including 4-0 at four after a 6-4, 6-1 win over the Cougars.  

In doubles, Melisa Becerra and Narindra Ranaivo are ranked #31. The pair are 24-2 this spring, including 7-1 at number one doubles. They pushed the nation's top team of Kane and Miruna Tudor to a tie-breaker before falling 7-6(5).

NOTEWORTHY:

• The Bucs defeated the Antelopes 5-1 in the opening round of the ITA Indoor Championship in February. Barry went on to win the title. The Antelopes finished sixth of eight.
• Barry is 3-0 all-time against Nebraska-Kearney.
• This will be the second time the teams have met outdoors. The teams met in the Round of 16 in the 2010 NCAA Tournament at Sanlando Park. The next two meetings came at the ITA Indoor Championships.
• This is the farthest advance for the Antelopes in their NCAA Tournament history.