The fourth-seeded Emory University women’s tennis team
advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Division III Women’s
Tennis Tournament with a 5-2 win over fifth-seeded Denison
University on Tuesday.
The doubles matches set the tone for a tightly-contested
match between the two squads. Emory was able to strike the
first blow, as the Eagles’ second doubles pairing of
Tshema Nash and Sabra Rogers
earned an 8-6 win over Erin Chadwell and Kara Zdanowski.
However, Denison would answer back with an 8-6 win in the first
doubles match, as Kristin Cobb and Marta Drane bested Emory’s
Zahra Dawson and Lorne
McManigle.
However, the Eagles were able to swing the momentum in their favor
with the third doubles match. After Emory’s pairing of
Lindsay Reidenbach and Jordan
Wylie trailed Denison’s Jane Lent and Alex Marcell
by scores of 3-0 and 4-1, the Eagles’ duo battled back to win
an 8-6 decision, giving Emory a 2-1 advantage heading into singles
play.
Dawson would avenge her doubles loss later in the match, earning
the first singles victory of the day for Emory, winning her no. 1
singles match 7-5, 6-4 over Drane, giving the Eagles a 3-1
lead. Emory’s third-singles player, Wylie, would pull
the Eagles within a point of clinching the match, after she
defeated Sarah Short 6-0, 6-4.
Denison would pull back to within two points after the Big
Red’s Kristin Cobb defeated the Eagles’ Lorne McManigle
7-6 (7-5), 6-2 in the second singles match. However,
Emory’s sixth-singles player, Sara Vrabec,
would shut the door on the Big Red, earning a 6-1, 6-1 win over
Kate Westenberger to clinch the team victory for Emory.
Tshema Nash and Lindsay Reidenbach were both up a set in their
singles matches when the Eagles won, but their contests were left
unfinished.
Emory improved to 21-5 on the season with the win, while Denison
ended its campaign with an 18-5 record. The win was
Emory’s second-straight over a seeded opponent, following the
team’s win over sixth-seeded Washington and Lee University in
the third round of the tournament.
With the win, Emory will advance to the semifinals of the NCAA
Division III Women’s Tennis Championships, where the team
will face top-seeded Amherst College, last year’s national
runner-up. The Lord Jeffs currently stand at 20-2, following
their win over Carnegie Mellon University in the quarterfinals
round on Tuesday.
Emory is 8-2 all time against Amherst, including wins in each of
the last eight matchups. The Eagles are 4-1 all time against
the Lord Jeffs in NCAA Tournament action, including a 5-0 win in
the National Championship match during the 2004 season.
This is Emory’s second-straight trip to the semifinals of the
NCAA Tournament, and 11th overall.
Wednesday’s semifinal match is slated for a 9:00 AM start at
the Battleground Athletic Complex in Frederickburg, VA.