Latest ITA Regional Poll Released as Five Members Represent Spartans

SKILLMAN, N.J. - The University of Tampa tennis team is continuing to improve as the season nears an end. The International Tennis Association (ITA) Division II regional poll was released on Wednesday, with a pair of new Spartan faces among the ranks.

As for the team, the Spartans have dropped to No. 6 in the region from the previous rank at No. 5. Still standing at a program best of No. 15 in the nation, the ITA will be releasing updated national rankings next week.

Sophomore number-one singles player Thashia Garcia dropped one spot, and now sits at No. 12 in the region. Garcia a sophomore, has sat the past couple weeks with a hand injury and looks to break into the top-10. With conference matches picking back up in the beginning of April, Garcia will be facing Sabine Goge of Florida Southern, and Linda Fritschken of Barry. Both players are respectively ranked No. 9 and No. 10 in the region.

Spartans duo Lauren Hewett and Meg Wladimirski have made a statement with wins over ranked doubles teams such as Nova, Tech and Saint Leo; earning them a spot at No.5 in the latest poll. In the preseason poll, the Spartans number-one doubles team was ranked at 10.

Making a huge impact in the Spartans lineup this season is tandem Lindsay Nochowicz and Kelsey Matthews. Being unranked in the preseason poll, Nochowicz and Matthews now stand at No. 5 in the latest ITA poll. A freshman from Powder Spring, Ga. Nochowicz came into the Spartans lineup with an aggressive approach to the doubles game, while partnering with sophomore transfer Kelsey Matthews who excels at the net. The new Spartans tandem has combined their strengths and made a statement with impressive victories, including a win over ranked Rollins opponents Ashley and Lisa Loft.

The team returns to action Saturday versus West Alabama. The match is slated to begin at 2:30 beginning with the standard three doubles matches, followed by six singles matches.

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