Lady Flames Fight Hard at Regional with Freshman Earning Super Regional Berth

The Lady Flames women’s tennis team was back in action Oct. 1-3 when it participated in the ITA Atlantic Regional at Liberty Tennis Complex. 

The team captured winning records in all categories, going 3-2 in doubles and 6-5 in singles, which combined for 9-7 overall. 

Liberty Head Coach Jeff Maren said fall play is a good time to get his ducks in a row for the season. 

“What we are trying to do with this tournament and with the fall is figure out who should be playing with who,” Maren said. “Putting them in pressure situations like this helps us to see what works and what does not.”

Perhaps the biggest highlight of the weekend was the play of freshman Maria Juliana Parra Romero, who secured her spot in the ITA Atlantic Super Regional later this month. Parra Romero spent her Sunday morning facing off against Richmond’s Emily Dunbar. 

Parra Romero opened the match in complete control, securing a 6-1 win. Parra Romero then overcame a 5-2 deficit in set two to force a tiebreaker, in which she overcame another deficit of 4-2 to ultimately clinch her trip to the ITA Atlantic Super Regional with a 7-5 victory. 

Maren said he was happy to see a freshman succeed against a player who has been known to give the Flames trouble in the past.

“Dunbar has beaten our number one player in the past and played another one of our number one players a couple of years ago,” Maren said. “She is a difficult player to play against, so for [Parra Romero] to come in as a freshman and beat a senior who is a very skilled opponent is a big thing.”

Maren also said that Parra Romero’s comeback win was a testament to who she is as a player. 

“It shows us a lot about her mental strength. She is kind of like a Rocky,” Maren said. 

Parra Romero said although odds were stacked against her late in the set down 5-2, it is not her thing to take no for an answer concerning a match, especially with a goal in mind.

“I was really nervous being down 5-2,” Parra Romero said. “But I keep fighting. It’s my game, and I didn’t want to lose so I could classify for the big tournament.”

Parra Romero was also quick to acknowledge the advantage of having Maren alongside her during such a big moment.

“Having Coach Maren there and giving me good strategies was really good,” Parra Romero said. “I was doing a good job on the baseline, but I had to come in towards the net, so that helped me secure some more points.” 

The Lady Flames secured many come from behind victories during weekend play as well as some hard-fought losses. Showing a healthy balance of play early on allowed Maren to start getting excited for the
spring season. 

“Even the girls that fought hard and lost showed me that they were competitors,” Maren said. “They are not just tennis players. They are competitors that can battle, so when you have a group of competitors, you are a pretty good team that will always give yourself a chance to win.”

The Lady Flames tennis team will be back in action Oct. 8-9 at the 49er Invite in Charlotte, North Carolina, at the Halton-Wagner Tennis Complex.

Zehnder is a sports reporter. Follow him on Twitter at @zaczehnder.