Wildcats News
Sat, Sep 27, 2008 - [Women's Tennis]
Andres Mejia, Ayda Ardila, Juliana Costa, and Fernando Risto have qualified for the ITA National Tourney with Regional win
Andres Mejia, Ayda Ardila, Juliana Costa, and Fernando Risto have qualified for the ITA National Tourney with Regional win
GEORGETOWN, Ky. (Sept. 27, 2008) - The Bethel College tennis teams picked up where they left off last spring with a strong start to the 2008-2009 season during the 2008 ITA Small College Regional Championships held at Georgetown College September 25-27, 2008.
 

Bethel claimed both the men's and women's singles championships and also won the women's doubles championships. The victories qualify those individuals for 2008 ITA National Championships in Mobile, Ala. beginning October 16th.

In women's action, new Lady Wildcat Ayda Ardila (#2 seed) breezed through the tournament. She faced off against Bethel rival Natalia Yakimovic of Cumberland University (Tenn.) in the championship. Ardila, a native of Colombia, stunned the Cumberland top player 6-3, 6-4.

Ardilla teamed up with Bethel teammate Juiliana Costa in the doubles competition. The 3rd seeded Lady Wildcat team knocked off top seeded Natalia Yakimovic/Beatriz Mompo of Cumberland (Tenn.) in the semi-finals 8-5 and beat the 2nd seeded duo Emily Kerrick/Adrienne Bartlett of Georgetown (Ky.) 8-3 to take the championship.

The Bethel men had equal success at the tournament. A pair of Bethel Wildcats advanced to the championship. Andres Mejia (7th seed) was the surprise of the tournament. He defeated both the 4th seed and the top seed to advance to the finals where he met Wildcat teammate Fernando Risto. Risto (the 3rd seed) had little trouble advancing to the final. He faced off against Mejia in the finals where he won in straight sets 6-1, 6-2.

All three of the champions will now advance to the ITA Nationals to face off against the other regional winners beginning on Oct. 16 at the Mobile Tennis Center in Mobile, Ala.
 
Article Contributed by:  Matt Floyd