ROME, Ga. - Friday, XULA sophomore Maja Brnic proved why she is the top seed in the ITA Cup, storming into the semifinals of the prestigious tournament in straight sets. 

Brnic defeated William Carey's Isabella Lechuaga Franco 6-3, 6-3 to reach the Cup semifinals. 

This was the second time this fall that Brnic faced Franco in a singles tournament. In late September, Brnic defeated Franco to win the 2026 ITA Gulf Regional Championship. 

Brnic will play the No. 4 seed, Maria Purizaca of Doane, in the semifinals at 8 a.m. CST on Saturday. Last month, Purizaca finished as the runner-up of the ITA Central West Championship in Salina, Kansas. 

The results were not as favorable for the Gold Nuggets in the NAIA Women's Doubles bracket, where Brnic and Asadah Ma'at fell to the Tennessee Wesleyan duo of Ivet Prat and Ruslana Kovalenko 7-5, 6-3 in the quarterfinals. 

Full results from the ITA Cup are available on the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's website.