URBANA, Ill. - (10/18/12) - Valeryia Kulikouskaya is just one win away from moving into the main draw as the University of Detroit Mercy women's tennis team opened the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Midwest Regional Tournament on Thursday. The event is being hosted by Illinois at the Atkins Tennis Center.

"We had a great day today," said head coach Pjotrs Necajevs.  "They played in very windy conditions but managed to work that to their advantage."

Kulikouskaya posted two wins on the day to bring her season record up to 8-3, as she defeated Alex Power from Cleveland State (6-4, 6-2) and then bested Knenia Beresteska from Akron in three sets (6-3, 3-6, 6-2). She will face Margharita Sadonvikova from Youngstown State for a spot in the round of 48 on Friday morning at 10:15 a.m.

"Valeryia played great," said Necajevs, "She closed out the girl from Cleveland State in two sets and the she had a big win from the girl from Akron."

In consolation matches, Elena Strakhova and Julia Fernandes both defeated a pair of Ohio State Buckeyes in three sets.  Strakhova beat Kelsey Becker, 2-6, 6-3, 10-2, while Fernandes dropped the first set to Grâinne O'Neill, 4-6, but came back and won the next set by a score of 6-3 before taking the tie-break, 10-7.

The third round of qualifying will begin on Friday at 9:00 a.m., and the doubles round of 48 will begin at 2:00 p.m.