Akuaku blasts way to ITA-NAIA Southeast Regional Championship Singles Round of 16 appearance

GEORGETOWN, Ky. -- Vanessa Akuaku is just a sophomore in playing eligibility.

However, if Shawnee State's current No. 1 singles player continues playing and progressing as she has throughout the course of the 2024 ITA-NAIA Southeast Regional Championships, Akuaku will easily become one of the Bears' best women's tennis talents to grace the court.

Enjoying another strong day of competition, the 2023-24 First-Team All-River States Conference honoree made quick work in a ITA-NAIA Southeast Regional Championship Round of 32 match, blazing past Georgetown (Ky.)'s Lindsey Rikkerink to reach the ITA-NAIA Southeast Regional Championship Quarterfinals following a fantastic showing Friday at the event, which is being held in Georgetown, Ky.

Akuaku set sail in the opening set of competition and never looked back in the rearview mirror en route to a dominating 6-0, 6-1 victory over Rikkerink Friday evening. Between Friday's singles match -- as well as her Round of 64 victory over Johnson (Tenn.)'s Caroline Rhoton -- Akuaku has taken 24 out of the 26 games that she's played en route to rolling right to the Round of 16.

In doubles competition, Akuaku, along with doubles partner Antonia Ilea, acquitted themselves well in a showing that saw the duo take two games from Union Commonwealth (Ky.)'s Anastasiia Iakovlieva and Aspasia Katsouda before dropping a competitive 6-2 match.

Iakovlieva was a part of a Union Commonwealth team that, in 2024, advanced to the NAIA Women's Tennis National Championship's Second Round as a No. 12 overall seed in the tournament. Katsouda is a new addition to the Bulldogs, who have a nationally ranked NAIA women's tennis program.

Full results are as follows:

Singles

Vanessa Akuaku (Shawnee State) def. Lindsey Rikkerink (Georgetown), 6-1

Doubles

Vanessa Akuaku/Antonia Ilea (Shawnee State) lost to Anastasiia Iakovlieva/Aspasia Katsouda (Union Commonwealth), 2-6

Upcoming match

Vanessa Akuaku (Shawnee State) vs. Agustina Olivero (Midway) -- Saturday, Sept. 28, 3 p.m., Lackey Tennis Center, Georgetown, Ky.

Additional

Updates will be provided to social media and www.ssubears.com as results are made available.