Surprise, Az. – Junior Christina Rosca wrapped up day three of the ITA Fall Nationals by advancing to the semifinals of the tournament in singles play.
Rosca started off day three competing in the Round of 16 taking on Alabama’s No. 12-ranked Andie Daniell. Rosca dominated in the first set, owning the court in a 6-2 victory before earning the upset win against the No. 12-ranked junior with a 6-2 defeat in the second set. The win sent Rosca to the singles quarterfinals.
Fernanda Contreras joined teammate Rosca in the quarterfinals after defeating Purdue’s Silvia Ambrosio. Contreras held the Boilermaker to only three points in the first set, conquering the set in a 6-3 win. Concluding the match, Ambrosio retired automatically which sent Contreras to the singles quarterfinals.
Opening the quarterfinals for the Dores, Contreras battled against Georgia’s Katarina Jokic with a slow start in the first set, falling short to the Bulldog, 0-6. In the second set, Contreras retired to conclude the second set, 2-1, and end the Commodore’s time in the national tournament.
Looking for a shot at advancing to the semifinals, Rosca took on LSU’s Eden Richardson in the quarterfinals with a powerful start against Richardson. Rosca held the Tiger to only two points to win the match, 6-2. In the second set, Richardson picked up speed by earning a 4-6 victory over Rosca to send the match into a third set. Battling to win the match, Rosca gave it her all in the final set and earned a 6-4 victory over Richardson, securing her spot in the singles semifinals.
Rosca said she is thrilled for the opportunity to compete for the singles champion of the ITA Fall Nationals.
“I have been working hard and practicing a lot with my team so it is definitely a great feeling to still be out here,” Rosca said. “I have had trouble in the past especially playing two matches in one day and being able to keep the level up so I’m glad I was able to break through, play two great matches today and have the opportunity to advance to the semifinals.”
Vanderbilt head coach Geoff Macdonald is very proud of the way Rosca competed in today’s matches.
“Christina played with incredible effort today,” Macdonald said. “She scored two top wins, earning an upset over a No. 12-ranked opponent. She really fought hard and battled throughout the entire day today, giving it her all, leaving it all on the courts. I am looking forward to watching her compete tomorrow.”
Rosca competes Saturday morning in the singles semifinals against Georgia’s No. 9-ranked Katarina Jokic for a spot in the final round of the ITA Fall Nationals Singles Championship.
Follow along with Rosca as she competes in the semifinals by following @Vandywtennis on Twitter and Instagram.
