Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Lima advances, Blue Raiders victorious in first day of ITA Ohio Valley Regionals
10/8/2026 10:07:00 PM | Women's Tennis
MASON, Ohio – The Middle Tennessee women's tennis team concluded the first day of competition at the ITA Ohio Valley Regionals in Mason, Ohio, with all six Blue Raiders competing on Thursday picking up victories in the competition.
Maria Palacios, Sadbaroy Kholdarova, Lena Peyer, Zhanel Rustemova and Sthefany Lima all began the tournament with victories, with the latter winning her second round matchup to advance to Friday's main draw.
Palacios began her first ITA regionals competition with a victory, defeating Murray State's Yu Kikawa in straight sets, 7-5, 6-4.
She fell in her second match, however, as Cincinnati's Elizabeth Fauchet defeated her in straight sets, 6-3, 6-1.
Although her victory came at a higher price, Kholdarova advanced to the second round in three sets, defeating Lipscomb's Serafima Bobrovnikova. Kholdarova started strong, winning set one 6-1. She attempted to finish the job in straight sets, but Bobrovnikova edged her out of the second set, 7-6 (4). The MTSU senior delivered the finishing point in the third and final set, claiming the match, 6-4.
Kholdarova could not overcome her second opponent, falling in straight sets to Chattanooga's Rufaro Magarira, 6-2, 6-2.
Peyer followed suit in round one with a three-set victory, defeating Chattanooga's Zara Burns to advance to the second round. The Swiss senior delivered a volatile showing in the first two sets, first falling 6-2 before triumphing 6-1. In an incredibly tight third set, she defeated her Chattanooga opposition, 11-9, to advance to the second round.
Purdue's Gabriella Davydov got the better of Peyer in the second round, defeating her in straight-set fashion, 7-5, 6-2.
The junior transfer Rustemova found success in the first round, qualifying over Murray State's Hsin Li Lin in straight sets, 6-2, 7-6 (1).
She ceded her second round to Kentucky's Asuncion Jadue, falling 7-6 (3), 7-5, 6-1.
In her second ITA regionals showing, sophomore Lima advanced through qualifying to the main draw, courtesy of her two victories. She began the competition with a narrow defeat in set one to Murray State's Aada Inna, 5-7. She handedly claimed set two, 6-3, before doubling her opponents score in set three, 6-3.
Lima made no mistake in her second match, claiming the tie in straight sets, 7-6 (4), 6-4.
Concluding the first round for MTSU, Conde was unable to advance in her matchup, falling in straight sets to Butler's Sophie Parr, 6-3, 6-1. She rebounded in the consolation bracket, however, defeating Chattanooga's Emma Pedretti in three sets, 6-1, 4-6, 11-9.
On Friday, Lima will join Victoria Matasova in the main singles draw, who will face off against Liam Oved of UT-Chattanooga at 9 a.m. The Brazilian will follow her Russian counterpart in singles as she faces Vanderbilt's Mia Yamakita at 11 a.m.
In the afternoon, doubles play begins with Conde and Lima facing off against Peyton Duckett and Pauline Bruns of Austin Peay at 2:30 p.m.
Peyer and Palacios will play against Yamakita and Erin Pierce of Vanderbilt at 3 p.m., while Matasova and Rustemova have Purdue's Reese Frank and Kathryn Wilson as their opponents at 3:30 p.m.
The tournament schedule and results can be found here, updated live as matches complete.
Results
Singles
Zhanel Rustemova (MTSU) def. Hsin Li Lin (Murray State), 6-2, 7-6 (1)
Sthefany Lima (MTSU) def. Aada Inna (Murray State), 5-7, 6-2, 6-3
Maria Palacios (MTSU) def. Yu Kikawa (Murray State), 7-5, 6-4
Sadbaroy Kholdarova (MTSU) def. Serafima Bobrovnikova (Lipscomb), 6-1, 6-7 (4), 6-4
Lena Peyer (MTSU) def. Zara Burns (Chattanooga), 2-6, 6-1, 11-9
Sophie Parr (Butler) def. Sara Conde (MTSU), 6-3, 6-1
Sthefany Lima (MTSU) def. Reagan Mulberry (Louisville), 7-6 (4), 6-4
Rufaro Magarira (Chattanooga) def. Sadbaroy Kholdarova (MTSU), 6-2, 6-2
Gabriella Davydov (Purdue) def. Lena Peyer (MTSU), 7-5, 6-2
Elizabeth Fauchet (Cincinnati) def. Maria Palacios (MTSU), 6-3, 6-1
Asuncion Jadue (Kentucky) def. Zhanel Rustemova (MTSU), 6-7 (3), 7-5, 6-1
Sara Conde (MTSU) def. Emma Pedretti (Chattanooga), 6-1, 4-6, 11-9
Follow the Blue Raiders
Stay up to date with Middle Tennessee Women's Tennis on Instagram (mt_womenstennis), X (MT_WomensTennis) and Facebook (BlueRaiderWomensTennis).
Maria Palacios, Sadbaroy Kholdarova, Lena Peyer, Zhanel Rustemova and Sthefany Lima all began the tournament with victories, with the latter winning her second round matchup to advance to Friday's main draw.
Palacios began her first ITA regionals competition with a victory, defeating Murray State's Yu Kikawa in straight sets, 7-5, 6-4.
She fell in her second match, however, as Cincinnati's Elizabeth Fauchet defeated her in straight sets, 6-3, 6-1.
Although her victory came at a higher price, Kholdarova advanced to the second round in three sets, defeating Lipscomb's Serafima Bobrovnikova. Kholdarova started strong, winning set one 6-1. She attempted to finish the job in straight sets, but Bobrovnikova edged her out of the second set, 7-6 (4). The MTSU senior delivered the finishing point in the third and final set, claiming the match, 6-4.
Kholdarova could not overcome her second opponent, falling in straight sets to Chattanooga's Rufaro Magarira, 6-2, 6-2.
Peyer followed suit in round one with a three-set victory, defeating Chattanooga's Zara Burns to advance to the second round. The Swiss senior delivered a volatile showing in the first two sets, first falling 6-2 before triumphing 6-1. In an incredibly tight third set, she defeated her Chattanooga opposition, 11-9, to advance to the second round.
Purdue's Gabriella Davydov got the better of Peyer in the second round, defeating her in straight-set fashion, 7-5, 6-2.
The junior transfer Rustemova found success in the first round, qualifying over Murray State's Hsin Li Lin in straight sets, 6-2, 7-6 (1).
She ceded her second round to Kentucky's Asuncion Jadue, falling 7-6 (3), 7-5, 6-1.
In her second ITA regionals showing, sophomore Lima advanced through qualifying to the main draw, courtesy of her two victories. She began the competition with a narrow defeat in set one to Murray State's Aada Inna, 5-7. She handedly claimed set two, 6-3, before doubling her opponents score in set three, 6-3.
Lima made no mistake in her second match, claiming the tie in straight sets, 7-6 (4), 6-4.
Concluding the first round for MTSU, Conde was unable to advance in her matchup, falling in straight sets to Butler's Sophie Parr, 6-3, 6-1. She rebounded in the consolation bracket, however, defeating Chattanooga's Emma Pedretti in three sets, 6-1, 4-6, 11-9.
On Friday, Lima will join Victoria Matasova in the main singles draw, who will face off against Liam Oved of UT-Chattanooga at 9 a.m. The Brazilian will follow her Russian counterpart in singles as she faces Vanderbilt's Mia Yamakita at 11 a.m.
In the afternoon, doubles play begins with Conde and Lima facing off against Peyton Duckett and Pauline Bruns of Austin Peay at 2:30 p.m.
Peyer and Palacios will play against Yamakita and Erin Pierce of Vanderbilt at 3 p.m., while Matasova and Rustemova have Purdue's Reese Frank and Kathryn Wilson as their opponents at 3:30 p.m.
The tournament schedule and results can be found here, updated live as matches complete.
Results
Singles
Zhanel Rustemova (MTSU) def. Hsin Li Lin (Murray State), 6-2, 7-6 (1)
Sthefany Lima (MTSU) def. Aada Inna (Murray State), 5-7, 6-2, 6-3
Maria Palacios (MTSU) def. Yu Kikawa (Murray State), 7-5, 6-4
Sadbaroy Kholdarova (MTSU) def. Serafima Bobrovnikova (Lipscomb), 6-1, 6-7 (4), 6-4
Lena Peyer (MTSU) def. Zara Burns (Chattanooga), 2-6, 6-1, 11-9
Sophie Parr (Butler) def. Sara Conde (MTSU), 6-3, 6-1
Sthefany Lima (MTSU) def. Reagan Mulberry (Louisville), 7-6 (4), 6-4
Rufaro Magarira (Chattanooga) def. Sadbaroy Kholdarova (MTSU), 6-2, 6-2
Gabriella Davydov (Purdue) def. Lena Peyer (MTSU), 7-5, 6-2
Elizabeth Fauchet (Cincinnati) def. Maria Palacios (MTSU), 6-3, 6-1
Asuncion Jadue (Kentucky) def. Zhanel Rustemova (MTSU), 6-7 (3), 7-5, 6-1
Sara Conde (MTSU) def. Emma Pedretti (Chattanooga), 6-1, 4-6, 11-9
Follow the Blue Raiders
Stay up to date with Middle Tennessee Women's Tennis on Instagram (mt_womenstennis), X (MT_WomensTennis) and Facebook (BlueRaiderWomensTennis).
Players Mentioned
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