LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference announced the 2021 SCAC Women's Tennis all-tournament team this morning. Complete Release
Trinity University’s Zoe Kaffen earned all-tournament honors for the fourth consecutive championship. The senior went 1-0 at No. 1 singles at this year’s event to cap her career following all-tourney performances in 2017 (No. 4 singles), 2018 and 2019 (No. 3 singles). Her teammate, Megan Flores, earned all-tournament doubles recognition for the second straight championship. Teaming with Cate Cushing, the duo went 2-0 at No. 1 doubles at this year’s event. Flores had earned recognition at No. 2 doubles in 2019.
Southwestern’s Mariana Quetzeri was another repeat honoree as she and teammate Nina Mitrofanova went 2-0 at No. 2 doubles last weekend. Quetzeri had teamed with current teammate Esther Bowers in 2019 to take home all-tourney honors at the No. 1 line.
The top-ranked team in the West Region, Southwestern University captured its first Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Women’s Tennis Championship in a hotly contested 5-4 match Sunday over Trinity University at the Butch Newman Tennis Center.
The Pirates improved to 15-4 overall and 14-0 against NCAA Division III opponents. Southwestern, ranked No. 1 in the NCAA West Region, played in its fifth consecutive SCAC final. Southwestern beat Trinity in an April regular-season match-up.
Trinity, ranked second in the region, dropped to 9-8 and 9-2 against DIII opponents and had its eight-year streak of consecutive SCAC Championships broken.
The title came down to one match, No. 3 singles. Trinity’s Megan Flores won the first set 6-4 against Emma Kesterson. The Southwestern player won the second set 7-5 and prevailed 6-2 in the third as the Pirates claimed the title.
Southwestern started the match by leading 2-1 after doubles.
The Pirates’ Nina Mitrofanova and Mariana Quetzeri beat Zoe Kaffen and Mary Kaffen, ranked fifth in the NCAA Division III West Region, 8-3 in the second line of doubles.
Trinity’s Flores and Cate Cushing, ranked second as a tandem in the region, evened the match with an 8-3 victory over Esther Bowers and Taylor Despriet on the top line.
Southwestern won the third doubles match as Kesterson and Allie Ziehm prevailed 8-4 over Annie Wise and Ellie Hughes.
Cushing mounted a Tiger comeback by winning No. 2 singles 6-3, 6-4 over Esther Bowers, ranked fifth in the region.
However, Southwestern took a 4-2 lead winning Nos. 5 and 6 singles. Sydney Wahl took the fifth line 7-5, 6-1 over Elodie Richard. Allie Ziehm beat Paulina Garcia 6-4, 6-3 in the sixth match as the Pirates led 4-2.
Then, Zoe Kaffen, No. 4 in the region, defeated Mitrofanova, the top regional player, 6-4, 6-1 in a first-line match. Mary Kaffen evened the match count at 4-4 with a 6-0, 4-6, 6-1 victory over Nina Elez on the fourth line. Kesterson then won the third line giving the Pirates the championship.
2021 SCAC Women's Tennis All-Tournament Team
No. 1 Singles – Zoe Kaffen, Trinity
No. 2 Singles – Catherine Cushing, Trinity
No. 3 Singles – Alyssa Davila, St. Thomas; Emma Kestreson, Southwestern
No. 4 Singles – Mary Kaffen, Trinity; Sydney Wahl, Southwestern
No. 5 Singles – Katelyn Ruiz, Schreiner; Sydney Wahl, Southwestern
No. 6 Singles – Alli Ziehm, Southwestern
No. 1 Doubles – Catherine Cushing/Megan Flores, Trinity; Anamarie Gonzalez/Alejandra Lopez, St. Thomas
No. 2 Doubles – Nina Mitrofanova/Mariana Quetzeri, Southwestern
No. 3 Doubles – Emma Kesterson/Alli Ziehm, Southwestern
*Any player (or doubles team) that goes through the conference tournament undefeated is named to the all-tournament team automatically. If no one player or team goes undefeated using the above criteria, then the next best record at that position will be named to the all-tournament team. Coaches may also nominate a player for the all-tournament team.