SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- The top-seeded Southwestern University Pirates captured their first Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Women’s Tennis Championship in a hotly contested 5-4 match Sunday over the No. 2 Trinity University Tigers at the Butch Newman Tennis Center. Official Website l Bracket l Postmatch Interview
Southwestern improved to 15-4 overall and 14-0 against NCAA Division III opponents. The Pirates, ranked No. 1 in the NCAA West Region, played in their 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.
The opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament will be played May 14-16 at sites to be determined. The quarterfinals, semifinals, championship, and individual tournament are set for May 24-30 at Chattanooga, Tennessee.
SOUTHWESTERN 5, TRINITY 4
May 2, 2021 at Trinity University; San Antonio, Texas (Newman Tennis Center)
| Singles competition |
| 1. Zoe Kaffen (TU) def. Nina Mitrofanova (SW) 6-4, 6-1 |
| 2. Catherine Cushing (TU) def. Esther Bowers (SW) 6-3, 6-4 |
| 3. Emma Kesterson (SW) def. Megan Flores (TU) 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 |
| 4. Mary Kaffen (TU) def. Nina Elez (SW) 6-0, 4-6, 6-1 |
| 5. Sydney Wahl (SW) def. Elodie Richard (TU) 7-5, 6-1 |
| 6. Alli Ziehm (SW) def. Paulina Garcia (TU) 6-4, 6-3 |
| Doubles competition |
| 1. Catherine Cushing/Megan Flores (TU) def. Esther Bowers/Taylor Despriet (SW) 8-3 |
| 2. Nina Mitrofanova/Mariana Quetzeri (SW) def. Mary Kaffen/Zoe Kaffen (TU) 8-3 |
| 3. Alli Ziehm/Emma Kesterson (SW) def. Ellie Hughes/Annie Wise (TU) 8-4 |
| Match Notes |
| Trinity 9-8; 4-1 SCAC |
| Southwestern 15-4; 6-0 SCAC |
| Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (2,5,6,1,4,3) |
UP NEXT
The Pirates earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament, with invitations to be issued May 10. The Tigers will await a possible at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
