The Southwestern women's tennis team posted their highest finish ever at the SCAC Championship this year, advancing to the finals before falling to Trinity to finish in second place in the conference.
It was a tight match through doubles play as Southwestern took a 2-1 advantage. Gabby Hunt/Virginia Stofer (#2) and Sarah Johnson/Marieke Visser (#3) cruised to easy 8-2, 8-1 victories, respectively while Amiee Blake/Elizabeth Ellis (#1) battled hard but were ultimately defeated 8-5.
It was all SU from there on as the Pirates dominated singles play. Blake (#1) easily won 6-3, 6-0 and Hunt (#2) took was challenged in the first set but shut down Patterson in the second to win 7-5, 6-0. Johnson (#3) took care of Bush 6-2, 6-4 while Stofer (#4) had the toughest match of all but pulled out the three-set win 6-2, 5-7, 6-2. Visser (#5) continued the Pirates' winning ways with a 6-2, 6-1 win and Krampitz (#6) completed the singles sweep by winning 6-1, 6-4.
With the 8-1 victory the Pirates took the upset and advanced to the conference finals against Trinity.
It was a different story as Southwestern took on the #1 seed Trinity in the finals. TU jumped out ahead by winning all three doubles matches. Blake/Ellis fell 8-1, Hunt/Stofer 8-5 and Visser/Johnson 8-2.
The Tiger's winning continued as Blake fell 6-1, 6-0 in number one singles, but Hunt took the #2 singles match, defeating Hornbeck in a marathon match 7-6 (10-7), 3-6, 10-7. Johnson dropped her #3 singles match 6-2, 6-1 and Stofer fell 6-0, 6-1. Visser lost 6-1, 6-3 and Krampitz 6-3, 6-0 to arrive at the 8-1 final.
Southwestern ends the season at 7-8 on the year and were just one match shy of earning the automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs.