San Antonio – The Trinity University Tigers women's tennis team opened their fall season at the Brother AI Invitational, hosted by St. Mary's University (Texas). The individual-format tournament featured a competitive field from NCAA Divisions I, II, and III, including opponents from St. Mary's, the University of the Incarnate Word, Texas Lutheran, and Texas A&M–Kingsville.
Despite a storm-shortened weekend, the Tigers impressed with an 11–1 record in singles and a 4–3 mark in doubles play.
In Flight 1 doubles, captains
Rosabella Andrade (Southlake, Texas / Ponderosa) and
Trinity Levy (Camarillo, Calif. / Weil Tennis Academy) teamed up for a strong run, while sophomore
Lucy Nabedrick (Plymouth, Minn. / Wayzata) and freshman
Eva Kovachev (Arlington, Texas / The Oakridge School) made their debut as a duo. Nabedrick and Kovachev bowed out in the quarterfinals after an 8–5 battle with Texas A&M–Kingsville. Andrade, last season's ITA West Region Most Improved Player, and Levy, an ITA West Region Player to Watch, showcased their leadership with a standout performance. After cruising through the quarterfinals and edging a Kingsville pair 8–7 (7–5) in the semis, the captains narrowly missed the Flight 1 title, falling 8–7 (7–3) to St. Mary's in the final.
Flight 2 doubles used a different format and featured sophomores
Lauren Tin (Austin, Texas / Vandegrift) and
Allison Vo (Sugar Land, Texas / Elkins). The pair managed three matches before rain cut play short, finishing with an impressive 2–1 record against duos largely from NCAA I and II programs.
Singles play proved to be the Tigers' biggest highlight. In Flight 2, Andrade and Levy dominated the draw and were set to meet in the final before Sunday's matches were canceled. Andrade posted commanding straight-set wins over opponents from Kingsville 6–1, 6–1 and St. Mary's 6–3, 6–0. Levy was equally convincing, sweeping past players from Our Lady of the Lake 6–4, 6–1 and St. Mary's 6–0, 6–0.
In Flight 3 and Flight 4, sophomores Nabedrick and Tin carried the banner alone, each delivering decisive wins. Nabedrick opened with a 6–2, 6–0 victory over a Texas Lutheran opponent before edging St. Mary's in a tight semifinal tiebreak 6–2, 3–6, (10–5). Tin advanced with a 6–2, 6–4 win over Kingsville, then rolled past St. Mary's 6–2, 6–2 in her semifinal. Both Tigers were poised to face players from Kingsville and Incarnate Word in their respective finals before the weather once again halted play.
Flight 5 featured sophomore Vo and freshman
Astrid Kerrman (Edina, Minn. / Edina). Vo advanced with two strong wins, highlighted by a 7–5, 6–3 semifinal victory over Texas A&M–Kingsville. Kerrman made an impressive collegiate debut, earning a 6–3, 6–2 quarterfinal win before narrowly falling to St. Mary's in the semifinal, ending the Tigers' bid for an all-Trinity final.
Up Next
The Tigers head to Abilene for the ITA Regional Championships, hosted by Hardin-Simmons University, running Thursday, September 25 through Sunday, September 28.
