INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- The Indiana Wesleyan University women’s tennis team overcame adversity this fall but regrouped to win the Crossroads League Tournament championship and clinch a berth to the NAIA National Tournament.
On August 26 Indiana Wesleyan saw their 241 fall match win streak come to a close in a 5-4 loss to Marian (Ind.). The Knights would go unbeaten in the Crossroads League regular season and earned the right to host the league championship match today.
Indiana Wesleyan (14-1) recovered after the devastating loss to win its next 12 matches as they were on a collision course with Marian in the league tournament championship match. Indiana Wesleyan won lucky No. 13 today by a 5-2 score at the University of Indianapolis Indoor Facility.
Things looked bleak early as Marian (11-1) won two of the three doubles matches for the early 2-1 advantage. Diane Jones (SR/Greenwood, Ind.) and Ellen Hornett (SO/Fishers, Ind.) won the only doubles match for Indiana Wesleyan by an 8-6 score in No. 3 action. Katie Wilson (JR/Middletown, Ind.) and Kim Mella (SR/Libertyville, Ill.) lost 8-2 in the No. 1-doubles match and Rachel Bottorff (SO/Newburgh, Ind.) and Kelsey Vessels (SO/Roanoke, Ind.) were defeated 9-7 at No. 2-doubles.
But the Wildcats responded in singles as they won the first four completed matches to clinch the 5-2 team victory. The final two matches were not finished as they had no bearing on the final team outcome.
Wilson cruised to a 6-1, 6-1 win at the top position and Bottorff won 6-0, 7-5 at No. 2-singles. Mella took the point 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 at No. 4-singles and Mikayla Marazzi (SO/Abbotsford, BC) won 6-4, 6-4 at No. 6 play. Courtney Siepman (JR/Plainfield, Ind.) played at No. 3-singles and the score was 4-6, 6-3 while Vessels led at No. 5-singles by a 7-6, 3-3 score.
Indiana Wesleyan keeps their streak alive as they will now play in their 16th straight NAIA National Tournament which will be held in May in Mobile, Alabama. Indiana Wesleyan and Auburn-Montgomery (Ala.) are the only two programs to reach every NAIA National Tournament since the team concept began in 2000.
| DOUBLES |
|
| Rang/Clark (MU) def. Wilson/Mella (IWU) |
8-2 |
| Potter/Potter (MU) def. Bottorff/Vessels (IWU) |
9-7 |
| Jones/Hornett (IWU) def. Neathery/Elliot (MU) |
8-6 |
SINGLES |
|
| Wilson (IWU) def. Betscher (MU) |
6-1, 6-1 |
| Bottorff (IWU) def. Rang (MU) |
6-0, 7-5 |
| Siepman (IWU) - Neathery (MU) |
DNF (4-6, 6-3) |
| Mella (IWU) def. Clark (MU) |
3-6, 6-1, 6-4 |
| Vessels (IWU) - Hnust (MU |
DNF (7-6, 3-3) |
| Marazzi def. Potter (MU) |
6-4, 6-4 |
