Transylvania Claims First HCAC Women’s Tennis AQ Championship

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - Transylvania University's women's tennis team capped off their most successful season in school history, claiming the school's first Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament championship on Friday afternoon.  The Pioneers earned the top seed after completing the regular season with a perfect 7-0 mark against league competition.

Transylvania posted a 5-0 win over Anderson before knocking off No. 2 seed Rose-Hulman 5-3 to earn the championship and the conference's automatic qualifier for the Division III NCAA tournament.  

In Friday's championship match with Rose-Hulman, the Pioneers posted a 5-3 victory.  Transy posted a win at one doubles position.  Kaitlyn Hizny (Owensboro, Ky.) and Katie Moore (Frankfort, Ky.) knocked off Klara Schroederus (Glenview, Ill.) and Ellyn Norris (Penn Laird, Va.) of Rose-Hulman at No. 3 doubles 8-2. 

In singles play, Transy earned wins at No. 2, No. 3, No. 5, and No. 6 singles.  Katie Boone (Lancaster, Ohio) earned a win at No. 2 singles over Sage Sackett (Kalamazoo, Mich.) 6-2, 6-1, Sarah Ridley (Henderson, Ky.) handed Melissa Montgomery (Alexandria, Ind.) a defeat at No. 3 singles 6-3, 6-1, and Hizny handled Schroederus at No. 5 singles, 6-0, 6-1.  Andi Mong (Chillicothe, Ohio) completed the scoring with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Norris. 

Rose-Hulman's victories came at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles and No. 1 singles.  Sam Danesis (Akron, Ohio) teamed with Montgomery to knock off Kelsey Fulkerson (Lexington, Ky.) and Boone 8-2 at No. 1 doubles, Megan Chann (Columbia, Mo.) and Sackett posted a 9-8 (1) at No. 2 doubles, and Danesis won 6-4, 6-3 at No. 1 singles. 

With claiming the tournament title, Transylvania has earned the conference's automatic bid to play in the NCAA Division III tennis championships this spring.  It will be the first appearance for Transylvania in the NCAA women's tennis tournament.