Posted: Oct 14, 2017

Allen Takes Third-Place at ITA Oracle Cup

ROME, Ga. - Two weeks ago, Catherine Allen (SC) won the ITA West Regionals singles title and earned a spot in the ITA Oracle Cup this weekend on the campus of Berry College in Rome, Ga. Allen won her first match of the weekend before dropping her semifinal match on Friday. Allen rebounded to win the third-place match on Saturday and finish her weekend 2-1.

Allen earned the No. 2 seed in the eight-player tournament and began her weekend with a match against Anna Maria Buraya from New York University. After defeating Buraya 4-6, 6-2, 5-2 (ret.), Allen advanced to play No. 3 Ysaabel Gonzalez Rico (Emory). Allen fell to Gonzalez Rico 6-2, 6-0 but defeated No. 4 Claire Handa (Chicago) 6-1, 6-4 to take third in the tournament.

Thursday – First Round

Catherine Allen began the 2017 Oracle Cup on Thursday morning with a 4-6, 6-2, 5-2 (ret.) victory over Anna Maria Buraya from New York University. Playing first thing in the morning, Allen dropped the opening set 4-6. She rebounded nicely and earned a dominating 6-2 victory in the second set. After staking a 5-2 lead in the third and final set, Allen was given the victory due to a retirement from Buraya.

The victory advances the second-seeded Allen to the semifinals where she will meet No. 3 Ysabel Gonzalez Rico from Emory. Gonzalez Rico made quick work of Kate Daugherty (Southwestern) in her first round match, 6-3, 6-0.

No. 2 Allen and No. 3 Gonzalez Rico will square off on Friday morning at 11:00 a.m. with a trip to the finals in the balance. Through the first round, all four matches went to chalk with No. 1 Eudice Chong (Wesleyan) and No. 4 Claire Handa (Chicago) advancing to the other semifinal match.

Friday - Semifinals

After a come from behind victory in Thursday's first round, Catherine Allen fell to the third seeded Ysabel Gonzalez Rico from Emory by a final of 6-2, 6-0. In the other semifinal, No. 1 Eudice Chong from Wesleyan defeated the fourth seed Chicago's Claire Handa 6-2, 6-1.

The two semifinals sets up a final between No. 1 Chong and No. 3 Gonzalez Rico at 8:30 a.m. Allen will wrap up the ITA Oracle Cup on Saturday when she faces Handa in the third-place match at 10:30 a.m.

Saturday - Third-Place Match

Allen finished up the ITA Oracle Cup on Saturday morning with a victory in the third-place match over No. 4 Claire Handa (Chicago). Allen topped the freshman from the University of Chicago 6-1, 6-4 to finish the weekend with a 2-1 record and a third-place finish.

In the championship match, top-seeded Eudice Chong (Wesleyan) topped No. 3 Ysabel Gonzalez Rico (Emory) 7-6 (4), 6-2) to win the ITA Oracle Cup.