Hokie ClubCharlottesville, Va. - Özlem Uslu clinched her berth at the NCAA Singles Championships after a week of competition at the ITA Atlantic Regional Championships.
Uslu will go to the NCAA Singles Championship on November 19 in Waco, Texas. She becomes the first Virginia Tech player to go to NCAA Singles Championships twice in her career. She made her first NCAA Championships as a freshman, advancing to the Round of 32.
In her week at ITA Regionals, she did not lose a set in singles play, winning 12 straight sets. In her final two games, she defeated #21 Xu of Virginia and #48 Ziodato of Virginia.
DAY 6 -
Uslu was named the ITA Atlantic Regional Champion after a defeat of Virginia’s Ziodato.
Uslu swept Ziodato with a 7-5, 6-1 win. She came back in the first set, after going down 4-2 to Ziodato. Uslu did not lose a set in her run to the final, winning 12 straight sets.
DAY 5 -
Uslu’s clinch of NCAA Singles Championship berth headlines the day for the Hokies.
Uslu was faced up against Annabelle Xu of Virginia in her semifinal on Monday, Oct. 21. Xu was ranked no. 21 in the ITA Preseason Rankings. Uslu played dominantly, winning in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1.
She will face Virginia’s Sara Ziodato in the final on Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 10:30 a.m.
In doubles, the Hokies saw their time end at ITA Regionals. Uslu and Cartledge played a gritty three-set match against Virginia’s pairing of Margaret Navarro and Ziodato, falling 4-6, 7-5, 10-6. For Gorinsek and Gamretkaia, they fell in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4 to Virginia’s Melodie Collard and Elaine Chervinsky.
DAY 4 -
The Hokies stay hot with another good day at ITA Regionals.
Uslu advanced to the semifinals of the Main Draw Singles with a straight-set win over Danielle Hack of Maryland, 6-3, 6-2. She will play Annabelle Xu of Virginia in the semifinals on Monday, Oct. 21 at 10:30 a.m.
Gamretkaia found another win in the Singles Backdraw over Sifa Butcher of Howard, sweeping in straight sets, 6-1, 6-0. Aksu advanced in the Singles Backdraw as well and will play again on Monday, Oct. 21 at 9:30 a.m. against Millie Haagensen of West Virginia.
Frosch fell in three sets on Sunday to Elaine Chervinsky of Virginia. She won the first set 7-5 but were unable to keep it up, falling 6-3, 7-5 in the final two sets.
Uslu and Cartledge advanced to the quarterfinals on Sunday afternoon with an 8-0 win over Amelie Jewelwics and Mariam Ibrahim Mohamed Metwally of VCU. Gorinsek and Gamretkaia had a closer match in the Round of 16 but pulled off a comeback to beat out Danielle Hack and Kallista Liu of Maryland in the tiebreak, 8 (7)—7(5).
Aksu and Ziets-Segura saw their time end in Charlottesville after a good run in doubles play, in the Round of 16, falling 8-6 to Karen Verduzco and Vaida Matuseviciute of George Washington.
Uslu and Cartledge advanced to the semifinals over Annabelle Xu and Martina Genis Salas of Virginia, with a 8-6 win. Gorinsek and Gamretkaia also booked their spot in the semifinals with an 8-1 win over Virginia’s Zara Linke and Blanca Pico Navarro.
Uslu/Cartledge will play Margaret Navarro and Sara Ziodato of Virginia at 2:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 21. Gorinsek and Gamretkaia will also play at 2:30 p.m. against Melodie Collard and Elaine Chervinsky of Virginia.
DAY 3 -
Tech continued their time in Charlottesville with another good day of tennis on Saturday, Oct. 19.
Uslu and Frosch both advanced to the quarterfinals as they picked up two wins each in Main Draw singles this morning.
Uslu defeated Michaela Kuchrova of West Virginia 6-1, 6-1 this morning, advancing to the Round of 16. In the Round of 16, she found another straight-set win over Emma Vanderheyden of Marshall 6-3, 6-2.
For Frosch, she won her first win of the morning against Zara Larke of Virginia 6-4, 6-4. In the Round of 16, Frosch was up against Maryland’s Kallista Liu and picked up another straight-set win 6-3, 6-3 to advance to the quarterfinals.
Gorinsek fell to ODU’s Kira Matushkina 6-3, 6-1 in the Round of 32.
Uslu will play Danielle Hack of Maryland at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 20, while Frosch will play Elaine Chervinsky of Virginia at 9:30 a.m.
In the Main Singles Backdraw, three Hokies all played matches. Gamretkaia played Sofia Maria Barbulescu of Richmond in the opening round, pulling out a three-set win, 6-2, 5-7, 10-8. She defeated Cenan Liu of George Mason 6-3, 6-1. Gamretkaia will play Howard’s Sifa Butcher on Sunday, Oct. 20 at 9:30 a.m.
Aksu beat Ines Oliveira of JMU in the opening round of the main singles backdraw, 6-4, 6-4. She advanced to play Maja Dodik of West Virginia, and defeated her 6-1, 6-3. Aksu will play Sofiya Tsitavets of Norfolk State on Sunday, Oct. 20 at 9:30 a.m.
Mulready played Julia Jeffrey of Morgan State in the opening round, winning 6-3, 6-3. She met Sifa Butcher of Howard in the Round of 32, falling in three sets, 6-0, 2-6, 10-7.
In doubles play, the Hokies had a successful outing. Gorinsek and Gamretkaia advanced to the Round of 16 with a dominant 8-1 win over George Mason’s Paige Massey and Maya Bayat. Cartledge and Uslu also picked up a win, defeating Richmond’s Lucy Webber and Lainey O’Neil 8-6. Finishing the day, Aksu and Ziets-Segura beat ODU’s pairing of Ulyana Romanova and Kira Matushkina 8-2.
Aksu/Ziets-Segura play on Sunday, Oct 20 at 11:30 a.m. while Gorinsek/Gamretkaia and Uslu/Cartledge are both slated to play at 12:30 p.m.
DAY 2 -
Three Hokies were able to find wins in singles, while three sets of Hokies picked up wins in doubles, on Friday, Oct. 18 during the first day of Main Draw singles.
Özlem Uslu was the first Hokie of the day to win as she defeated JMU’s Sophie Williams in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3. Laima Frosch also advanced with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Georgetown’s Molly Evans. Rounding off the day, Tara Gorinsek defeated Radford’s Michaela Stephens 6-2, 6-1.
Arina Gamretkaia fell short in her match, going down in three sets to JMU’s Daria Munteanu 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-4. Mulready was unable to keep her momentum rolling on Friday as she was defeated by Emily Tannenbaum in straight sets 6-3, 6-1. Semra Aksu was the final Hokie playing in singles today but could not find a win. Aksu fell 7-6 (4), 6-1 to Old Dominion’s Victoria Matasova.
All doubles matches are being played as eight-point pro sets until the semifinals of the tournament. Aksu and Ziets-Segura teamed up for the first time, taking down Morgan State’s Aleksandra Evdokimova and Tyler Williams 8-3.
Gorinsek and Gamretkaia continued to stay paired up after the Hall of Fame Invite. They defeated Richmond’s Claire Du Le and Abby Lee 8-3.
Uslu and Cartledge paired up for the first time this season after playing together all of the 2024 spring season. They defeated George Mason’s Cenan Liu and Lauren Splett 8-5.
Frosch and Mulready were unable to come out with a win in doubles, falling 8-6 to Maryland’s Katherine Hung and Tamari Gagoshidze.
DAY 1 -
Three Hokies started their campaigns in the qualifying round on Thursday, Oct. 17.
Freshman Mila Mulready advanced to the Main Draw of singles after successfully beating her two opponents on Thursday. She beat her first opponent of the day, Reka Matko of JMU 7-5, 6-2. In her second match, she took down Yoanna Radulova from Liberty in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1.
Charlotte Cartledge advanced out of the opening round of qualifying before falling in the second round. Linda Ziets-Segura was unable to make it past the first round of qualification.