SAINT LOUIS - Franciscan Women's Tennis sent four players to Saint Louis to compete in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Central Regional Championships. A very deep and talented field assembled on the campus of Washington University (Mo.) for this three-day tournament.

Friday Action
Doubles
There would only be a main draw in doubles, so Maria Herrera and Olivia Colby would represent Franciscan. They would draw a tough duo from Kenyon in the round of 64. It would be a very close back and forth match, but unfortunately the Barons fell 8-5. That would send them into the consolation bracket with a matchup scheduled for early Saturday morning. 

Singles
Maria Herrera and Olivia Colby were Franciscan's representatives in the ITA main singles draw which consisted of 64 players. Each of them drew tough, ranked players in the first round. Olivia Colby fell in straight sets to Radha Patel of Case Western Reserve, and Maria Herrera lost her first match of the year to Nicole Geller of the University of Chicago 6-3, 6-3. 

Later in the day after multiple weather delays, Herrera and Colby would play in the consolation bracket. Colby would take down Emilee Bassett of Trine by scores of 3-6, 6-2, 10-6. Maria Herrera would win 6-1, 6-1 over a player from Transylvania. That would clinch them a spot in the consolation round of 16 to be played on Saturday. 

In the blue draw, 16 players would play with their opening matchups being one pro set to eight. Claire Cardie would be the lone Baron in this bracket, as she won her opening matchup by a score of 8-3 over Ellie Bruce of Depuaw. She then drew Chloe Ku of Case Western Reserve in the second round. They battled, but Cardie fell 1-6, 5-7 in straight sets. 

Veronica Saunders would play in the yellow draw. She matched up against Julianne Sheldon of Ohio Northern in the first round. Saunders would fall by a score of 8-2. Very late on Friday night, Saunders would get in her consolation match. She fell 8-1 against a talented player from North Central College. 

Saturday Action
Doubles
Maria Herrera and Olivia Colby would get their day started early with a doubles matchup against a duo from Oberlin. In the win or your done match, the Barons stepped up to win 8-2 and advance to the consolation round of 16. There they would meet Claire Hannaford and Megan Long from Anderson University. The Barons would keep up their strong morning with a win to clinch a spot in the quarterfinals. There they earned a walkover win to make the consolation semifinal to be played on Sunday. 

Singles
In the afternoon, Colby and Herrera would pick back up singles play in the consolation round of 16. Olivia Colby would take on Madeline Kavenagh from John Carroll. She fell 6-3, 6-2 to end her singles play for the weekend. Maria Herrera squared off in the same round with Caroline Sproule of Wittenberg. Herrera would win in straight sets 6-3, 7-5 to make the quarterfinals to be played later that evening. She would take on Saray Hernandez Cisneros of Principia College. Herrera would keep up her run of three straight singles wins to earn her a spot in the consolation semifinals on Sunday morning. 

Saturday Action
Singles
The day began with Maria Herrera playing an early morning semifinal matchup against Shadia Amado Aguad of Kenyon College. This was the second year in a row that Herrera had reach the consolation semifinals. Herrera would battle but fall 6-3, 6-4 to end her run in the consolation singles bracket. 

Doubles
Herrera and Colby would not be able to play their semifinal due to all the other remaining teams forfeiting.

Next Up
Franciscan will return to PAC conference play on Tuesday evening as they host Washington & Jefferson at the Belleview Courts. The Barons are 7-1 all-time against the Presidents with wins in their last seven meetings. The Presidents are 3-2 on the year with a 2-1 record in PAC matches so far.

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