WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The doubles portion of the ITA Southeast Regional Championships will feature one Wildcat pair facing another thanks to a huge upset Sunday afternoon at Wake Forest?s Leighton Tennis Courts.

The top-seeded Kentucky duo of senior Aibika Kalsarieva and sophomore Sarah Foster will meet the unseeded Wildcat pair of sophomores Kim Coventry and Joelle Schwenk in Monday?s final after the latter tandem stunned the nation?s third-ranked duo from North Carolina.

The unranked Coventry and Schwenk rallied from a 7-4 deficit and match point against UNC?s second-seeded Kendall Cline and Aniela Mojzis to turn the tables and claim a 9-8 (4) upset victory in the quarterfinals, avenging their only doubles loss this season. In their semifinal match against Clemson?s Julie Coin and Alix Lacelarie, Coventry and Schwenk turned a 7-6 deficit into a 9-7 victory to propel themselves into the final.

?This is one of the strongest and deepest regions in the country, and for Kim (Coventry) and Joelle (Schwenk) to come so far in this tournament and join Sarah (Foster) and Aibika (Kalsarieva) in the final is a great step for our program,? UK Coach Mark Guilbeau said. ?They remained composed after falling behind and turned in a great showing today.?

Foster and Kalsarieva, the nation?s third-ranked tandem, turned away Duke?s Kristin Cargill and Jenny Zika by an 8-4 count in the quarterfinals before dispatching Clemson?s Daniela Alvarez and Maria Brito by an 8-3 margin in the semifinal, setting up the all-Wildcat final in the 32-team field.

Kalsarieva also earned her second-consecutive trip to the ITA Southeast Regional singles final. The All-American from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan defeated N.C. State?s Barbara Orlay by a 6-0, 6-4 count in the quarterfinals and dealt UNC?s ninth-seeded Cline a 6-2, 6-3 loss in the semifinal. Kalsarieva will meet the opponent who defeated her in the 2003 final, Wake Forest?s Karin Coetzee, in Monday?s singles final.

Kalsarieva earns a berth in next month?s ITA National Indoor Championships by reaching the singles final of the ITA Southeast Regional Championships. The winner of Monday?s Wildcat doubles final receives an automatic berth in the ITA National Indoor doubles draw. The ITA National Indoor Championships are set for Nov. 4-7 in Ann Arbor, Mich.

AGATE:

ITA Southeast Regional Championships ? Winston-Salem, N.C. Singles
(Tournament Seed/National Rank)

 (1/9) Aibika Kalsarieva (UK) def. (9/--) Barbara Orlay (NCSU) ? 6-0, 6-3 (1/9) Aibika Kalsarieva (UK) def. (9/113) Kendall Cline (UNC) ? 6-2, 6-3 (3/18) Karin Coetzee (WF) def. (5/48) Sarah Foster (UK) ? 6-3, 6-0 (9/113) Kendall Cline (UNC) def. (--/--) Kim Coventry (UK) ? 6-2, 6-2

Doubles

 (1/3) S. Foster/Kalsarieva (UK) def. (7/--) Cargill/Zika (DU) ? 8-4 (1/3) S. Foster/Kalsarieva (UK) def. (3/21) Alvarez/Brito (CU) ? 8-3 (8/--) Coventry/Schwenk (UK) def. (2/4) Cline/Mojzis (UNC) ? 9-8 (4) (8/--) Coventry/Schwenk (UK) def. (6/--) Coin/Lacelarie (CU) ? 9-7