Oct. 22, 2007

MOBILE, Ala. - After winning the ITA/Wilson Regional championship two weeks ago, Suzana Cavalcante (Jr. / Sao Paulo, Brazil) participated at the 2007 ITA Small College National Championships in Mobile, Ala., and reached the semifinals in singles, before bowing out to the eventual National Champion in a three set match. Cavalcante also teamed up with Paola Arevalo (Sr. / Cali, Colombia) to earn a fifth place finish in doubles.

In the national singles championships, Cavalcante reached the semifinals by defeating Northwood University's Darina Berkova 6-2, 0-6, 6-1. In the semifinal match, Cavalcante faced BYU-Hawaii's number one player, Elwen Li. In that semifinal match, Cavalcante had a great chance at the win, when she had a one-set lead and was up a break at 4-2 in the second set. However, the very consistent Li came back in the match and won in three sets, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2. Cavalcante then played for the third place position against the University of California in Pennsylvania's top player, Helena Van Eysendeyk. Cavalcante played very well and cruised to a 6-1, 6-3 win to earn the singles third position at the national level.

In doubles, Cavalcante partnered up with Arevalo and had a tough quarterfinal match. The West Florida duo faced the Abilene Christian team of Irene Squillaci and Aina Rafolomanantsiatosika, and came up just short by losing 7-6, 6-2. Cavalcante and Arevalo moved to the consolation draw and beat the Emporia State team of Natalie Villaflor and Marcela Bayon 6-1, 6-4, and the Northwood team of Ashley Neumann and Julia Goncalves 6-2, 6-1, to earn doubles fifth position at the national level.

(by Gui Amaral Jasmin)