Thursday, November 5
Knoxville, Tenn. (Univ. of Tennessee)
Lipscomb University
vs
ITA Division I South Sectional Championships
11/4/2026 1:10:00 PM | Women's Tennis
NASHVILLE  – The story continues. After making history at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's Ohio Valley Regional Championships, Mariia Dolzhenko and Deborah Dominguez Collado will participate in the singles draw at the ITA South Sectional Championships, starting on Thursday in Knoxville, Tennessee.Â
Head coach Jamie Aid is proud of the accomplishments these two student-athletes have added to the continued success of Lipscomb Women's Tennis over the last decade since taking over the reins in 2014.
"ITA sections is a huge accomplishment for any team, especially a mid-major. To have one player selected is absolutely amazing, but to have two, it's really special for our program," said Aid.
"We do our best to recruit girls that are willing to compete at very high levels and Deborah and Masha right now are playing the best tennis they have in their collegiate career. I think they're a testament to what it means to work hard, and what it means to commit to a program in a culture that makes it very easy to leave programs. Our theme that I keep telling the girls is that you have so much God given talent to be the players that enjoy the sport. It's such a waste not to show that joy of competition."
Thirty-two players from the Ohio Valley, Southern and Southeast Regionals will participate in the South Sectional. Higher priorities were given to student-athletes who finished as a region semifinalist and quarterfinalist at the Region Championship or advanced to at least the Round of 16 at the ITA All-American Championships.Â
Other selections were submitted for entry who competed in singles at ITA Regionals and/or ITA All-Americans.Â
Dolzhenko advanced to the semifinals at regionals, while Dominguez Collado advanced to the quarters.Â
Starting up at 10 a.m. CST, Dolzhenko (9-4), who made it to the semifinals at regionals, will take on Amina Salibayeva of Alabama.
The senior knocked off No. 14 and region top seed Valeria Ray, 7-5, 6-4 to advance to the semifinals at Regionals.
Dominguez Collado (9-4) will take on Lisa Kamigata of Tennessee, who also finished in the quarterfinals at the Ohio Valley Regionals, on Thursday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. CST.Â
The Lipscomb senior had to work her way out of the qualifying draw, winning five matches before falling to No. 56 Julia Zhu of Kentucky in the round of eight.Â
If either make it to the semifinals at Sectionals, that would lock their spot in the NCAA Individual Championships on Nov. 17-22 in Athens, Georgia. If either advance to the quarterfinals and fall in that round, there would be a playoff to determine who advances to the final site, which will take place on Sunday.
"We are excited for sections and more importantly, we are excited to represent Lipscomb. We are just going to be the team up there that's smiling on the court enjoying what we do; it's just another match and nothing more," said Aid.Â
Coverage can be found of the Lipscomb Women's Tennis schedule.Â
Below is the schedule of events for singles (subject to change):Â
Thursday, 11/5
Main Draw singles round of 32
Consolations singlesÂ
Friday, 11/6
Main Draw singles round of 16
Consolation SinglesÂ
Saturday, 11/7
Main Draw singles quarterfinals (4 winners advance)Â
Consolation SinglesÂ
Sunday, 11/8
Singles QF playoff (2 winners advance)
Consolation singles and doubles to completion (no one advances through this)
Â
Head coach Jamie Aid is proud of the accomplishments these two student-athletes have added to the continued success of Lipscomb Women's Tennis over the last decade since taking over the reins in 2014.
"ITA sections is a huge accomplishment for any team, especially a mid-major. To have one player selected is absolutely amazing, but to have two, it's really special for our program," said Aid.
"We do our best to recruit girls that are willing to compete at very high levels and Deborah and Masha right now are playing the best tennis they have in their collegiate career. I think they're a testament to what it means to work hard, and what it means to commit to a program in a culture that makes it very easy to leave programs. Our theme that I keep telling the girls is that you have so much God given talent to be the players that enjoy the sport. It's such a waste not to show that joy of competition."
Thirty-two players from the Ohio Valley, Southern and Southeast Regionals will participate in the South Sectional. Higher priorities were given to student-athletes who finished as a region semifinalist and quarterfinalist at the Region Championship or advanced to at least the Round of 16 at the ITA All-American Championships.Â
Other selections were submitted for entry who competed in singles at ITA Regionals and/or ITA All-Americans.Â
Dolzhenko advanced to the semifinals at regionals, while Dominguez Collado advanced to the quarters.Â
Starting up at 10 a.m. CST, Dolzhenko (9-4), who made it to the semifinals at regionals, will take on Amina Salibayeva of Alabama.
The senior knocked off No. 14 and region top seed Valeria Ray, 7-5, 6-4 to advance to the semifinals at Regionals.
Dominguez Collado (9-4) will take on Lisa Kamigata of Tennessee, who also finished in the quarterfinals at the Ohio Valley Regionals, on Thursday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. CST.Â
The Lipscomb senior had to work her way out of the qualifying draw, winning five matches before falling to No. 56 Julia Zhu of Kentucky in the round of eight.Â
If either make it to the semifinals at Sectionals, that would lock their spot in the NCAA Individual Championships on Nov. 17-22 in Athens, Georgia. If either advance to the quarterfinals and fall in that round, there would be a playoff to determine who advances to the final site, which will take place on Sunday.
"We are excited for sections and more importantly, we are excited to represent Lipscomb. We are just going to be the team up there that's smiling on the court enjoying what we do; it's just another match and nothing more," said Aid.Â
Coverage can be found of the Lipscomb Women's Tennis schedule.Â
Below is the schedule of events for singles (subject to change):Â
Thursday, 11/5
Main Draw singles round of 32
Consolations singlesÂ
Friday, 11/6
Main Draw singles round of 16
Consolation SinglesÂ
Saturday, 11/7
Main Draw singles quarterfinals (4 winners advance)Â
Consolation SinglesÂ
Sunday, 11/8
Singles QF playoff (2 winners advance)
Consolation singles and doubles to completion (no one advances through this)
Â
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
Saturday, October 31
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Saturday, October 24
Saturday, October 24
