BLOOMSBURG, Pa. — Four members of the women's tennis team traveled to Bloomsburg this past weekend to compete in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Atlantic Regional Championships. Highlighting the tournament for the Warriors were Lea Stefanovic and Elessa Jacobs, making the round of 16 in doubles play, and Jenna Kastell advancing to the semifinals of the B Draw. 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Day one of the tournament kicked off with doubles action. Kastell and Ariel Kelsick found themselves matched up against the Slippery Rock team of Noemi Andreica Gordan and Sophia van der Berg. Although Kastell and Kelsick took three games, they ultimately fell 8-3. The two continued competing in the consolation bracket where they picked up a win in their only match, defeating Brinley Orris and Renee Kinard from Shippensburg, 8-1. 

Stefanovic and Jacobs earned a strong win over Kutztown's Anastassiya Kim and Isabela De Nadai, holding them to just two games to advance to the round of 16. Against Charleston's No. 6 ranked duo of Michelle Connor and Jingyi Liu, Stefanovic and Jacobs picked up a game, but dropped the match 8-1. 

In singles competition, Stefanovic was in the highest draw of any ESU player. Facing Patricia Castejon from Frostburg State, Stefanovic fell in the first set, but made a huge comeback in the second, taking it 6-1. In the tiebreak, Stefanovic came out on top with a 10-5 victory to advance. In the next round, she was matched against Slippery Rock's No. 3 ranked Nicole Kempton. Stefanovic earned a game in each set; however, she fell 6-1 in both sets. Kelsick's first match saw her take three games in the first set and one in the second as she fell to Ana Musulin from Charleston. 

Kastell entered the B Draw as the top-ranked player and picked up a strong victory in the first round, allowing just one match to be taken between the two sets by Izabelle Heacox. The first set of her next matchup saw Millersville's Amelia Gassert put up a strong fight, but Kastell came out on top and followed it with a 6-3 win in the second set to advance to the semifinals. The junior was facing off against van der Berg once again. Despite dropping the first set, Kastell responded by winning the second 6-3. In the tiebreak, Kastell put up three points but fell just short of advancing to the finals. 

SINGLES RESULTS
Lea Stefanovic (ESU) def. Patricia Castejon (FSU); 3-6, 6-3, 10-5
Nicole Kempton (SRU) def. Lea Stefanovic (ESU); 6-1, 6-1
Ana Musulin (Charleston) def. Ariel Kelsick (ESU); 6-3, 6-1
Jenna Kastell (ESU) def. Izabelle Heacox (California (Pa.)); 6-0, 6-1
Jenna Kastell (ESU) def. Amelia Gassert (Millersville); 7-5, 6-3
Sophia van der Berg (SRU) def. Jenna Kastell (ESU); 6-2, 3-6, 10-3

DOUBLES RESULTS
Sophia van der Berg / Noemi Andreica Gordan (SRU) def. Jenna Kastell / Ariel Kelsick (ESU); 8-3
Jenna Kastell / Ariel Kelsick (ESU) def. Brinley Orris / Renee Kinard (Shippensburg); 8-1
Lea Stefanovic / Elessa Jacobs (ESU) def. Anastassiya Kim / Isabela De Nadai (Kutztown); 8-2
Michelle Connor / Jingyi Liu (Charleston) def. Lea Stefanovic / Elessa Jacobs (ESU); 8-1