MOUNT BERRY, Ga. — Southwestern All-American doubles team Emma Kesterson and Alli Ziehm lost in the first round of the ITA Cup, falling 6-1, 6-3 to the New York University Violets Dakota Fordham and Carol Plakk. 

Fordham and Plakk qualified for the ITA Cup by winning the Northeast Regional Championships. Fordham also won the singles competition, defeating Plakk in the championship match. Kesterson and Ziehm are the second Southwestern doubles team to win the ITA Regional Championships, defeating teammates Lydia Lee and Nina Mitrofanova. 

"Emma struggled in the first set but played a much better second set. She did a great job staying upbeat and loose, which helped us throughout the match," Southwestern head tennis coach Billy Porter says. "Alli showed flashes of excellence throughout the match. She was really hard on herself and played stressed for too much of the match. When she played relaxed, she played to her ability, which is a very high level." 

Kesterson and Ziehm will face Autumn Bruno and Cassie Lee of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater tomorrow at 12:30 p.m