ROME, GA. – Freshman Sophie Lau continued her impressive fall season with a semifinal appearance at the ITA Cup in Rome, Georgia. Lau earned her spot in the tournament as the ITA West Region champion, after defeating Rebecca Kong of CMS in the West Region final where she also earned All-American honors.

Entering the tournament as the No. 2 seed, Lau opened play in the round of 16 against Sonya Drayton of Lewis & Clark College. Lau delivered a dominant performance, winning in straight sets, 6-4, 6-0, to secure her place in the quarterfinals. She carried that momentum into her next match against fourth-seeded Shelly Zinchenko. Lau again won in straight sets, taking the match 6-1, 6-4 to advance to the semifinal round. 

In the semifinals, Lau faced third-seeded Kong in a rematch of their ITA West Region championship. Lau came out strong, claiming the first set 6-3. However, Kong responded in the second set, winning 6-2 to force a deciding set. The final set proved to be a close contest, with Kong ultimately prevailing 7-6 to end Lau's run in the tournament. Despite the semifinal loss, Lau's performance in Rome marked a successful showing on the national stage. The freshman earned two victories and reached the final four of the ITA Cup in her first collegiate season.