University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA
Riviera/ITA Women's All-American Championships
Hart-Shibahara Claims Consolation Doubles Title
October 09, 2017 | Women's Tennis
Pacific Palisades, Calif. -- The Bruin duo of Jada Hart and Ena Shibahara prevailed as the consolation doubles champion at the 2017 Riviera/ITA All-American Championships Sunday. The pair defeated the Georgia team of Elena Christofi and Morgan Coppoc, 8-4, to cap the weekend.
After earning a first-round bye as the tournament's No. 3 seed, Hart-Shibahara was in for a battle against ITA Preseason No. 26 Anna Rogers and Caludia Wiktorin of North Carolina State. The "lucky loser" Wolfpack entrant proved too strong, bumping Hart-Shibahara to the loaded consolation bracket with a narrow 8-6 decision.
Three of the top five seeds from the main draw resided in the consolation bracket, presenting a challenge for each of the 13 teams looking to leave Riviera Country Club with a title.
The Hart-Shibahara team began its run with a bye, but was quickly tasked with defeating the No. 9 team in the nation, Leolia Jeanjean and Giulia Pairone of Arkansas. The hometown duo proved too much, knocking off the Razorback pair by an 8-2 score. In the Bruin twosome's second match of the day, Erin Larner and Lee Or of Northwestern went down by an identical 8-2 score, giving Hart and Shibahara a spot in Sunday's final.
Christofi-Coppoc, ranked No. 34 in the nation by ITA, gave Hart-Shibahara its closest match of the consolation round, but the Bruin tandem still cruised to an 8-4 win.
In other Riviera/All-American action, Clemson transfer Ayan Broomfield tallied her first win as a Bruin, while Hart and Shibahara also recorded singles victories.
