Teams earn ASC Championships on home court

The University’s men’s and women’s tennis team overcame shaky starts to win their third straight American Southwest Conference championship on Saturday.

Both teams received a first round bye after winning the ASC East division.

The women’s team defeated Mary Hardin-Baylor 5-1 Saturday to advance to the championship round on Sunday.

Michelle Hagler lashes a backhand to Hardin-Simmons’ Lisa Mertz in their match on Sunday at the American Southwest Conference tourney. Photo by Clay Ihlo.

Lauren Nielson and Heather Harmon notched the Patriots first win, defeating Amber Long and Carrie Ramos 8-0

Sydni Hermsdorf and Emily McRae defeated Rebecca Everett and Lauren Knight 8-4 to send the women’s team into singles play up 2-1.

Lauren Giovannini took the first singles match 6-1, 6-2 over Knight. Brittany Trich earned the fourth win of the day with a 6-0, 6-3 victory over Carrie Ramos.

Hermsdorf sealed the victory by defeating Everett 6-0, 6-4.

The women faced ASC West champion Hardin-Simmons on Sunday, and took two of three matches in doubles play.

Hermsdorf and McRae took down Diane Crouch and Jennifer Cheung 8-2. Harmon and Nielson defeated Lauren Jay and Morgan Rainer 8-4.

The Patriots number one doubles team Michelle Hagler and Ashley Albro took a heartbreaking 8-6 loss to Lisa Mertz and Brittany Brazell.

The women, however, wasted no time in singles play. Giovanni again won the first match for the Patriots. She defeated Danielle Cochran 6-1, 6-1.

Hermsdorf and Nielsen finished off the match winning 6-1, 6-2 in each of their matches against Rainer and Jay.

“We played a lot better today,” head coach Chris Bizot said after Sunday’s matches. “It’s hard to repeat, and now we’ve won three years in a row which is really exciting.”

“When you start doing those things everyone expects it from you and it’s hard to live up to those expectations day in and day out, and I’m just really proud of our girls.”

Hermsdorf, Giovanni, Nielsen and Trich were name to the All-Tournament. Hermsdorf was named the tournament Most Valuable Player.

“It’s just really exciting,” Hermsdorf said. “We were under a lot of pressure to do it again, and we were able to push through some injuries and get it done.”

David Ashlock goes down for a volley during play on Saturday against LeTourneau. Ashlock defeated Mark Taylor 4-6, 6-0, 6-1 in singles play. Photo by Clay Ihlo.

The men’s team defeated LeTourneau University on Saturday to advance to the championship round, despite dropping two of three doubles matches.

Adam Chirhart and Joshua Chavez defeated Uli de al Fuente and Mikey Parker 8-4.

David Ashlock and Andrew Reznik fell to Carlos Cantu and Wade Sinard 8-5. Brad Fenter and Nick Kreines took an 8-3 from David Robbins and Mark

Taylor, forcing the Patriots to win four of six singles matches to move on.

Austin Gonzalez notches the first singles win, defeating Paul Haney 6-4, 6-0. Chirhart put the Patriots in front by beating David Robbins 6-2, 6-3.

Chavez brought home the third singles win by defeating Cantu 7-5, 6-2. Chavez fought back in the first set after being down two games.

Ashlock sealed the victory for the Patriots. He recovered from losing the first set 6-4 to Taylor by winning 6-0, 6-1 in the final two sets.

The men faced McMurry for the championship on Sunday, and took the crown in under three hours of play.

The Patriots swept doubles play winning the three matches by scores of 8-2, 9-7 and 8-6.

Chirhart and Kevin Wright completed the victory with wins over Daniel Olivares and Williams.

“The guys came out and put it to them today,” Bizot said. “To win three in a row is not something you really expect, but hopefully we can keep it going.”

Ashlock, Chirhart, Chavez and Wright earned their way onto the All-Conference team.

Chavez and Chirhart were named co-MVPs.

Both teams earned an automatic bid in the NCAA Regional tournament May 13-15. The venue has not been decided.