May 26, 2011

STANFORD, Calif. - Baylor's Nina Secerbegovic earned a first-round win on a day that featured less than favorable weather on Wednesday in the NCAA Singles Championship in Stanford, Calif.

In the 64-player singles field on the women's side, Secerbegovic pulled the biggest upset of the day. Saddled with a first-round draw against the No. 9 ranked player in the nation, SMU's Marta Lesniak, the Baylor junior managed a 6-4, 6-4 win. The victory moves Secerbegovic's season record to 29-5.

Secerbegovic will take on Saint Mary's College's Alexandra Poorta in the second round. Poorta, ranked 46th, defeated Fresno State's 58th-ranked Marianne Jodoin in three sets, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(14).

Also for Baylor, juniors Sona Novakova and Diana Nakic each took first-round losses. Nakic's draw was a tough one, facing second-seeded Maria Sanchez of USC. Nakic cruised through the first set 6-2, but Sanchez came back to win 6-2, 6-2, in the final two sets.

Novakova also faced a tough draw in Sanchez's USC teammate and 24th-ranked Danielle Lao. Novakova couldn't get going against Lao, taking a 6-2, 6-4 loss.

Along with Secerbegovic's singles match on Thursday, she will also join forces with Novakova in the first round of the 32-pair NCAA Doubles Championship.