LAFAYETTE – Southeastern Louisiana sophomore Adriana Castillo and freshman Nastya Tokareva both advanced to the finals of their respective singles flights and the Lions posted a combined nine wins in singles and doubles play on the opening day of the Ragin' Cajun Tennis Classic Friday on the Louisiana-Lafayette campus.
 
Castillo and Tokareva both posted 2-0 finishes in singles play, while freshman Renee Villarreal, freshman Sarah Kriem and sophomore Morgane Charpenne each picked up a singles victory. The No. 1 doubles team of Kriem and freshman Reginka Nychytailova advanced, as did the No. 3 pairing of Tokareva and Charpenne.
 
Southeastern head coach Jason Hayes was excited with what he saw from his young team in its first day of fall competition.
 
“We did some very nice things today,” Hayes commented. “When you consider that most of our competition has played at least once this fall and we had four players making their collegiate debuts, our results were encouraging and a positive sign for where our program is headed.”
 
Tokareva competed in the No. 2 flight and rallied for a 4-6, 6-3, 10-5 win over Louisiana-Lafayette's Sandra Ahlqvist. Later in the day, she battled back in both sets for a 6-4, 6-4 straight-set triumph over Lamar's Helene Czudek to advance to Saturday's finals. The Moscow, Russia native will face Louisiana-Monroe's Medy Blankvoort for the flight title tomorrow.
 
Castillo also picked up a pair of wins on Friday in the No. 5 flight. In the opening round, she got past Lamar's Lara Bogdan 7-6, 6-3, then got past Janelle Fung of Arkansas State, 6-2, 6-0. Castillo takes on Alessandra Pennesi on Saturday with a chance to win her flight.
 
Villarreal opened Friday with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Mackenzie Oskin in the opening round. Justyna Krol knocked Villarreal out of a finals opportunity with a 6-3, 6-2 semifinal triumph. Villarreal will play Ioana Teu of Arkansas State for third place on Saturday.
 
Both Kriem and Charpenne each bounced back from opening round defeats to advance to the consolation finals. Charpenne picked up a 6-3, 6-1 win over Arkansas State's Chiara Stefanov in the No. 5 flight, while Kriem moved past Andrea Nenu of McNeese Staet, 6-1, 6-1.
 
Kriem and Nychytailova were dominant in the opening round of the top doubles draw, moving past Lamar's pair of Bogden and Alicia Porte, 8-2. In the No. 3 flight, Charpenne and Tokareva made short work of the mixed pair of Louisiana-Lafayette's Eleanor Bradshaw and Arkansas State's Sofia Krsmanovic, 6-2, 6-3.
 
The final day of action begins at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday.
 
Southeastern Results – Ragin' Cajun Classic
 
Singles
No. 1 (Etouffee Flight)
Sophia Rufykiri (ULM) def. Reginka Nychytailova (SLU) 6-0, 4-6, 10-3
Andrea Nedorostova (NWLA) def. Reginka Nychytailova (SLU) 6-3, 6-2
 
No. 2 (Jambalaya Flight)
Nastya Tokareva (SLU) def. Sandra Ahlqvist (ULL) 4-6, 6-3, 10-5
Nastya Tokareva (SLU) def. Helene Czudek (LU) 6-4, 6-4
 
No. 3 (Gumbo Flight)
Renee Villarreal (SLU) def. Mackenzie Oskin (USM) 6-2, 6-3
Justyna Kroi (ULM) def. Renee Villarreal (SLU) 6-3, 6-2
 
No. 4 (Boudin Flight)
Dariya Dashultina (LU) def. Sarah Kriem (SLU) 6-4, 6-0
Sarah Kriem (SLU) def. Andrea Nenu (MCN) 6-3, 6-2
 
No. 5 (Po-Boy Flight)
Adriana Castillo (SLU) def. Lara Bogdan (LU) 7-6, 6-3
Adriana Castillo (SLU) def. Janelle Fung (ASU) 6-2, 6-0
Juliette Clement (ULL) def. Morgane Charpenne (SLU) 6-4, 6-2
Morgane Charpenne (SLU) def. Chiara Stefanov (ASU) 6-3, 6-1
 
Doubles
No. 1 (Bread Pudding Flight)
Sarah Kriem/Reginka Nychytailova (SLU) def. Alicia Porte/Lara Bogdan (LU) 8-3
 
No. 2 (Bananas Foster Flight)
Carolina Salas/Natalia Mayagoita (LU) def. Renee Villarreal/Adriana Castillo (SLU) 9-7
 
No. 3 (Snowball Flight)
Morgane Charpenne/Nastya Tokareva (SLU) def. Eleanor Bradshaw (ULL)/Sofia Krsmanovic (ASU) 8-2