
Super Bowl champions crowned at 2014 USTA/ITA National Small College Championships
Fritschken/Onila (Barry) and Confalonieri (Lynn) defend titles
Valentine Confalonieri of Lynn University and Emma Onila and Linda Fritschken of Barry University defended the women's singles and doubles Super Bowl titles, respectively. Fernando Bogajo of Armstrong State University knocked off defending champion Deni Zmak of Embry-Riddle to win the men's singles championship. In men's doubles, Zmak and Jaime Sanchez-Canamares Rios bested Daniel Riggs and Paolo Volpicelli of Lynn University, earning the second straight Super Bowl doubles title for Zmak and his third in two years.
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Onila and Fritschken (right) won their 10th straight match at this event Sunday
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Today's winners earned an automatic bid to the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships hosted by the USTA Billie Jean King Tennis Center in Flushing, NY in November.
Confalonieri faced off against previously undefeated Nour Abbes of Xavier University of Louisiana, who had started her career at Xavier (LA) with 30 straight singles victories. The Fighting Knight took control of baseline action with her powerful, flat groundstrokes to earn the 6-4, 6-2 win.
For Confalonieri, it was her 36th straight victory, with her last loss coming against UCLA's Robin Anderson, the 2014 Riviera/ITA Women's All-American champion. Confalonieri said she was really in the zone on Sunday.
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Confalonieri (left) won her second straight Super Bowl title on Sunday
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"Today, I was very focused," Confalonieri said. "I knew that my opponent was very good. I didn't say a word and normally I talk a lot on court. I'm bigger than her and maybe a little stronger. I think that helped me win this match."
Confalonieri is excited about a return trip to New York. "Last year was a great experience," she said. "But I think I wasn't ready for that. This year, I know how it's going to be, so I'll be ready for it."
The Barry duo of Fritschken and Onila were dominant yet again on Sunday, defeating Claremont-Mudd-Scripps' Caroline Ward and Katie Kuosman 6-4, 6-1. After winning a tight first set, the Buccanneers cruised to a 3-0 lead in the second set. The tandem only lost 25 games in five matches this week.
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Bogajo won the Super Bowl title in his fourth appearance at the USTA/ITA National Small College Championships
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In men's singles action, Bogajo, who was making his fourth appearance at the USTA/ITA National Small College Championships but first in the Super Bowl, took on Zmak; the defending champion. Bogajo broke early in the first set and led 5-3, but Zmak broke back to force a tie-break.
However, Bogajo was stronger in the tie-break and captured the first set. At 4-3 in the second set, the Pirate senior had several chances to break Zmak and serve for the second set. Bogajo was unable to break, and then faced break points in the next game.
"I was really nervous and tight during that game because I wasn't serving very well," Bogajo said. "At 3-4, I had many break points and I wasn't able to break. Then he had three or four break points and I was so nervous. I knew if broke me, I was going to have problems breaking him back. When I won that game, I was ready to win the match."
Trailing 5-4, Zmak delivered two double faults which gave Bogajo a love-40 edge. The senior cashed in on his first match point for the 7-6(3), 6-4 win.
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Sanchez-Canamares/Zmak (left) won in straight sets on Sunday
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"This is my fourth year here, I'm a senior," Bogajo said. "I had never won a national championship. I couldn't believe that I won a national championship. Qualifying for the Super Bowl was a present for me. I wasn't expecting anything from the tournament. I don't have words to express how I feel."
Following singles, Zmak and Sanchez-Canamares took the court against the Lynn pairing of Riggs and Volpicelli. Carrying over momentum from their spirited win from yesterday, Zmak and Sanchez-Canamares won 6-3, 6-4. Zmak served out the second set in a game which saw several deuce points, but the big serving junior was able to close the deal.
For all coverage of the 2014 USTA/ITA National Small College Championships, including access to final draws, please visit the official tournament page on ITAtennis.com.
About the Palmetto Tennis Center
The Palmetto Tennis Center is located inside Palmetto Park in Sumter, South Carolina, and is home to 24 state-of-the-art tennis courts, with lighting available for night play. Three on-site tennis pros and a progressive training program teach players from beginner to advanced levels spanning from players aged five and older. Other amenities include ball machines, stringing service, and a pro shop. Admission for regular play is free of charge. Visit the Palmetto Tennis Center website and follow tournament updates on their Facebook page.
About the ITA
As the governing body of collegiate tennis, the ITA promotes both the athletic and academic achievements of the collegiate tennis community. The ITA, which is comprised of nearly 1,700 men's and women's varsity coaches representing over 1,200 institutions, administers numerous regional and national championships and the ITA College Tennis Rankings for over 20,000 college varsity student-athletes at NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and Junior College levels. The ITA also has a comprehensive awards program for players and coaches to honor excellence in academics, leadership and sportsmanship. The official ITA web site is www.itatennis.com.





