Oct. 22, 2012

Complete Results

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Ole Miss junior Caroline Rohde-Moe went back and forth with Alabama’s Alex Guarachi in the USTA/ITA Southern Regional final, before falling in a 6-1, 5-7, 7-5 thriller at the Alabama Tennis Stadium, Monday.

Rohde-Moe, ranked No. 55 in singles and the No. 2 seed in the tournament, fought back from a 6-1, 5-2 deficit to force a decisive set.  She went up 5-3 in the third and held two match points at 5-4, but Guarachi, the No. 1 seed, answered, winning the final three games to take the title.

“It was clear that these were the two best players in the tournament,” head coach Mark Beyers said.  “The level of play in the final was great.  They went toe-to-toe for three sets. Unfortunately, we were unable to come out on top.   We got a little unlucky.  Guarachi got ahead, and then Caroline came from way back and took the lead.  But Guarachi kept fighting just like Caroline did.  All in all, it was a great match.  It’s a shame someone had to lose.”

Rohde-Moe went 5-1 at the tournament, raising her record to 11-4 this fall.

Ole Miss had a successful tournament with two in the semifinals including sophomore Julia Jones.  Junior Vief Vlaar won the B Draw singles title in her first action since May of this year after a second wrist surgery.

“This was a very good regional for us to have two in the semifinals and Vief winning the B Draw,” Beyers said.  “It’s something to build on for the remainder of the fall.”

Ole Miss has had recent success in the Southern Regional.  The Rebels have had a player in the final three years in a row, with former All-American Kristi Boxx winning the title in 2011 and former two-time All-SEC nominee Connor Vogel finishing runner-up in 2010.

Follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissWTennis and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OleMissWTennis.

USTA/ITA Southern Regional Championships
Singles
Final – Alexa Guarachi (AL) def. Caroline Rohde-Moe (OM) 6-1, 5-7, 7-5.