Oct. 18, 2011
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IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa senior Sonja Molnar and freshman Shelby Talcott will play in the ITA Central Regional Championships on Oct. 20-24. Molnar and Talcott will compete individually in singles and as a team in doubles.
Tulsa will host the 17-team field at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center in Tulsa, Okla. The field includes five teams that qualified for the 2011 NCAA Championships (Arkansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Tulsa and Wichita State). Winners of the Regional Championships advance to the USTA/ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships, to be held Nov. 3-6 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y.
Molnar is a team-best 6-1 in singles this season, with five of her victories coming in straight-sets. The Guelph, Ontario, native opened her season by winning the Mauer Flight, the top flight of singles, at the Gopher Invitational on Sept. 16-18. Molnar posted a 4-0 record at the event. Molnar earned her first win of the season against Rachel White of Illinois on Oct. 4 at the ITA All-American Championships. Molnar topped White, ranked No. 67 in the ITA preseason poll, 6-3, 7-5. Molnar, a three-time unanimous All-Big Ten selection, was ranked No. 65 in the ITA preseason poll.
Talcott has recorded a 5-2 singles mark this season. Talcott, a Long Island, N.Y., native, went 3-1 in her collegiate debut at the Gopher Invitational on Sept. 16-18. Her performance earned Big Ten Women Tennis Player of the Week honors on Sept. 21. Talcott went 2-1 at the Wildcat Invitational on Oct. 1-2 while competing against a tournament field that included six Big Ten teams and four 2011 NCAA Championships qualifiers. All five of her singles wins have come in straight-sets.
Molnar and Talcott teamed in doubles at the Gopher Invitational on Sept. 16-18. The duo won the Koivu Flight, the top doubles flight, after going 4-0.
Live scoring for the event will be available on the women’s tennis schedule page at hawkeyesports.com. Draws have not been released.