Cali Fuller and
Kristina Pukhaeva were eliminated in second-round action of the USTA/ITF Women's 15k today. Pukhaeva lost 6-2, 6-4 to Sophie Luescher from Oregon while Fuller fell to Marie Mattel from Central Florida, 6-0, 7-6 (5). The two also dropped their doubles match, 6-0, 6-0, to Ania Hertel and Martina Okalova.
The event marks the first time in school history two student-athletes competed in a pro tournament the USTA/ITF Women's 15k hosted by the University of Illinois at the Atkins Tennis Center in Urbana, Illinois.
Fuller achieved a significant victory when she defeated Kate Kim, a 16-year old who competes on the WTA International Tennis Tour. She is the reigning champion of the Orange Bowl Junior Championship and the Eddie Herr Junior Championships. Kim has achieved a 10.14 UTR player ranking while Fuller is an 8.44. For reference, Serena Wiliams was a 13.12.
Because both Fuller and Pukhaeva lost in the second round of the qualifying draw, one or both could still advance to the main draw depending on a number of variables. If neither advance, this tournament will mark the conclusion of Chicago State women's tennis fall season.
Listed below are Chicago State's results from the USTA/ITF Women's 15k:
2022 USTA/ITF Women's 15k
November 6-12
Atkins Tennis Center
Urbana, Illinois
Chicago State Results
Sunday's Results
Singles
Kristina Pukhaeva, Chicago State, defeated Taylor Cataldi, Wisconsin, default
Cali Fuller, Chicago State, defeated Kate Kim, WTA Tour, 7-5, 6-3
Monday's Schedule
Singles
Sophie Luescher, Oregon, defeated
Kristina Pukhaeva, Chicago State, 6-2, 6-4
Marie Mattel, Central Florida, defeated Cali Fuller, Chicago State, 6-0, 7-6 (5)
Doubles
Ania Hertel, Georgia / Martina Okalova, Tulsa, defeated
Kristina Pukhaeva / Cali Fuller, Chicago State, 6-0, 6-0
About Chicago State
Chicago State University Athletics is comprised of 15 intercollegiate teams involving over 150 student-athletes that compete in basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis, indoor and outdoor track and volleyball. CSU held memberships in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and NCAA Division II before transitioning to NCAA Division I in 1994. Melvin Bland was the first CSU student-athlete to gain NAIA All-American status in 1974 as a wrestler. Fred Evans became the first black swimmer ever to win a national championship in 1975. In 1991, the Chicago State women's tennis team became the first all-black college team to amass an unbeaten season at the NCAA level. CSU's women's basketball team earned a spot in the 2011 Women's Basketball Invitational and CSU's men's basketball team won the 2013 Great West Conference Tournament title, also making an appearance in the CollegeInside.com Postseason Tournament (CIT). The Men's Outdoor Track & Field 4x100-Meter Relay team were 2019 Honorable Mention All-Americans and WAC Champions. Their feat marked the first time the Chicago State's men's track & field program was represented at the national meet. Chicago State volleyball recorded a historic season in 2021, with Yanlis Feliz becoming CSU's first volleyball All-American and head coach Tony Trifonov earning selection as WAC Coach of the Year. During that same season, three different CSU teams earned victories over Big Ten opponents with men's soccer beating Northwestern, women's basketball upending Wisconsin and volleyball, which established a school record 17 wins and hosted a post-season volleyball tournament for the first time in program history, swept Indiana in Bloomington.
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