Men and women tennis teams capture second straight ASC Championship

For the second straight season, the men and women’s tennis teams won the American Southwest Conference Championship.

The men defeated LeTourneau University 5-2 while the women took down Hardin-Simmons University, 5-3, for the second straight season. The tournament took place at McMurry University’s Seidel-Swagerty Tennis Center in Abilene.

Both teams now advance to the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament for the second consecutive season. The Patriots will find out on May 4 from the NCAA where each team is headed for their first round match of the tournament, which is scheduled to begin on May 8.

The men opened up its match earlier in the day by winning two out of the three doubles matches.

Patriots’ David Ashlock and Dustin Phillips won 8-2 while Jordan Repsher and Nick Kreines won the other doubles match 8-4.

In the singles competition, the Patriots needed only three of the six matches to claim the championship.

The first singles match to end was Ashlock defeating Ryan Thomas, 6-1, 6-4.

Phillips followed up next with a 6-2, 6-0 defeat over Mark Taylor, setting up the Patriots needing only one more win.

After the next match ended in LeTourneau’s favor, the Patriots finally ended things when Robert Sajovich defeated Daniel Shidler 4-6, 6-0 and 6-0.

LeTourneau ended its season at 20-4 while the No. 16 nationally ranked Patriots improved to 17-5.

Ashlock, Phillips, Repsher, and Sajovich were all named to the All-Tournament team following the match, with Phillips being named as the tournament’s most valuable player.

In the women’s match, the Patriots also took two out of the first three in the doubles competition.

Hardin-Simmons took the first doubles match but the Patriots responded with the next two. Lauren Nielsen and Sydni Hermsdorf won 8-4 and then Beth Launius and Michelle Hagler won a dueling match at 9-7.

In the singles competition, the women, just like the men, only needed three matches out the six to win.

The first match to finish came when Hermsdorf recorded a 6-1, 6-1 defeat over Lauren Jay, giving the Patriots a 3-1 lead.

The Patriots extended that lead to 4-1 when Hagler won 6-1 and 6-1 over Morgan Rainer.

Hardin-Simmons took the next two matches to cut the lead to 4-3 in favor of the Patriots with two matches remaining.

The next match ended in the favor of the Patriots when Lauren Giovannini won 6-7, 6-0 and 6-0 over Jennifer Cheung.

With the win, the Patriots improved to 15-7 overall while Hardin-Simmons ends its season at 12-5. The loss was also the first this season for Hardin-Simmons to a conference opponent.

Giovannini, Hagler, Hermsdorf and Brittany Ude each received all-tournament honors, while Hermsdorf was also named the most valuable player of the tournament.

To get to the championship round of the tournament, the men and women both swept its second round opponent by a score of 5-0.

Both the men and women received first-round bye’s for winning the ASC East Division.

In the men’s bracket, they defeated Mississippi College without any trouble.

The Patriots won the first three doubles matches by scores of 8-5, 8-3 and 8-5.

In the singles competition, the first two matches to end were Sajovich (6-1 and 6-3) and Kevin Wright (6-1 and 6-4).

In the other four matches that went unfinished, the Patriots were leading in three of those matches.

On the women’s side of the bracket, the Patriots took care of business in the second round by sweeping The University of Mary-Hardin Baylor.

In the doubles competition, the Patriots won all three by scores of 8-4, 8-6 and 8-2.

In the singles competition, Hermsdorf (6-2 and 6-1) and Hagler (6-2 and 6-4) both finished their respective matches first to secure the Patriots 5-0 victory.

Just like the men’s match, the Patriots women’s team were leading in three of the four unfinished matches.

By Jeremy Cotham Sports Editor