Top Two Seeds Advance to ITA National Division III Women's Team Indoor Finals

No. 1 Emory University faces No. 2 University of Chicago in Championship match

GREENCASTLE, Ind. - The finals have been set for the eight teams competing in the 2010 ITA National Division III Women's Team Indoor Championship hosted by DePauw University. DePauw is hosting the second annual championships for the first time after Gustavus Adolphus College hosted the inaugural event last year.

After all of the top seeds advanced with quarterfinal victories minus defending champion and fourth-seeded Carnegie Mellon, top-seeded Emory University and No. 2 University of Chicago went up early, claiming semifinal victories over Denison and Washington and Lee, respectively, advancing to tomorrow's finals.


This newest addition to the ITA national tournament calendar joined its men's counterpart, the ITA National Division III Men's Team Indoor Championships, which was hosted by Gustavus Adolphus for the eighth-consecutive year last weekend, February 19-21 at the Swanson Tennis Center in St. Peter, Minn.


ITA Division III National Women's Team Indoor Championships: First Round

#1 Emory University 6, #8 Gustavus Adolphus College 3
#5 Denison University 8, #4 Carnegie Mellon University 1

#3 Washington & Lee University 9, #6 Johns Hopkins University 0

#2 University of Chicago 8, #7 DePauw University 1



ITA Division III National Women's Team Indoor Championships: Semifinals

#1 Emory University 8, #5 Denison University 1

#2 University of Chicago 5, #3 Washington & Lee University 4

ITA Division III National Women's Team Indoor Championships: Semifinals

#1 Emory University vs. #2 University of Chicago


Many of the top players in Division III will be taking part in the tomorrow's championship match, including NCAA Division III Champions, ITA National Small College Champions and the recent recipient of the James O'Hara Sargent Sportsmanship award.

Kendra Higgins, a sophomore from the University of Chicago has captured all of the above in her college career already. After capturing the 2009 NCAA Division III Doubles title with current doubles partner, Chrissy Hu, Higgins, who finished the year ranked fourth in singles, entered this season with high expectations. She made it to the finals in Division III singles at the 2009 ITA National Small College Division III singles but was also named the recipient of the James O'Hara Sargent Sportsmanship Award at the event.

"To me sportsmanship means showing respect for your opponent and acknowledging their success, even if it is a simple gesture such as clapping my hands with my racket after they hit a good shot", said Higgins.

Joining Higgins in the conversation for Division III women's top player is Emory's Lorne McManigle, the 2009 NCAA Division III Singles Champion. McManigle finished the ranked No. 1 in the Campbell/ITA College Tennis Rankings and was a member of the 2009 ITA All-Star Team. Also making an appearance in tomorrow's finals is 2008 ITA National Small College Singles Champion, Jennifer Kung, who now plays No. 3 singles for the Maroons.

No. 1 Emory University 8, No. 5 Denison 1
Doubles

1. McManigle/Dawson (EU) def. Cobb/Drane (DU) - 8-4
2. Nash/Rogers (EU) def. Zdanowski/Chadwell (DU) - 8-4

3. Krull/Marcell (DU) def. Reidenbach/Wylie (EU) - 8-5
Order of finish (doubles): 3, 1, 2



Singles

1. Lorne McManigle (EU) def. Marta Drane (DU) - 6-4, 6-3
2. Zahra Dawson (EU) def. Kristin Cobb (DU) - 7-5, 6-0

3. Jordan Wylie (EU) def. Sarah Short (DU) - 6-1, 6-1
4. Lindsay Reidenbach (EU) def. Laura Krull (DU) - 6-3, 2-6, 1-0

5. Tshema Nash (EU) def. Erin Chadwell (DU) - 1-6, 7-5, 1-0
6. Sara Vrabec (EU) def. Kara Zdanowski (DU) - 6-2, 6-4
Order of finish (singles): 3, 2, 1, 4, 6, 5

First Round Matchup: No. 1 Emory University def. No. 8 Gustavus Adolphus - 6-3
Semifinal Matchup: No. 1 Emory University def. No. 5 Denison University - 8-1
Final Matchup: No. 1 Emory University vs. No. 2 University of Chicago - 9 a.m. (ET)

"My main goal is winning the team championship", said McManigle, the reigning NCAA Division III Singles Champion. The team is working really hard and I think we're going to go into the NCAA Championship very strong this year. Individuals is a secondary priority compared to the team title, but I would love to do well in singles again and Zahra [Dawson] and I are practicing for doubles!"

"My doubles game has really improved since I've been at Emory", said McManigle. "I think Zahra and I are going to be very successful this spring. We had a great season last year and I think with more practice together we're going to get even better. She's a great partner, our styles of play are very different and I think they compliment each other well on the doubles court."

No. 2 University of Chicago 5, Washington & Lee University 4

Doubles

1. Higgins/Hu (UC) def. Morris/Lukas (W&L) - 8-5
2. Kung/Krishnan (UC) def. Caire/Sadler (W&L) - 8-6

3. Vaca Guzman/Nguyen (UC) def. Brzeski/Snyder (W&L) - 8-6
Order of finish (doubles): 1, 2, 3



Singles

1. Kendra Higgins (UC) def. Lauren Caire (W&L) - 6-2, 6-1
2. Ann Morris (W&L) def. Carmen Vaca Guzman (UC) - 7-5, 6-2

3. Jennifer Kung (UC) def. Lauren Lukas (W&L) - 6-1, 6-1
4. Blair Brzeski (W&L) def. Chrissy Hu (UC) - 6-2, 6-4

5. Jen Snyder (W&L) def. Aswini Krishnan (UC) - 6-1, 6-4
6. Trelsie Sadler (W&L) def. Shanelle Trail (UC) - 6-4, 6-3
Order of finish (singles): 1, 3, 2, 4, 5, 6



First Round Matchup: No. 2 University of Chicago def. No. 7 DePauw University - 8-1

Semifinal Matchup: No. 2 University of Chicago def. No. 3 Washington & Lee - 5-4
Final Matchup: No. 2 University of Chicago vs. No. 1 Emory - 9:00 a.m. (ET)


"Everyone here is the best of the best and great opportunity to face some very good competition, but obviously we wanted to come here and win", said Higgins. "This is a great learning experience for us to find out what we need to accomplish to excel at the NCAA Championships."



For complete results and event information, visit www.itatennis.com.


 

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