ORLANDO, Fla. -- No. 24 Washburn women's tennis' season came to an end in the NCAA National Quarterfinals with a 4-2 loss to No. 5 Flagler (22-4) on Saturday evening. The Ichabods end the season 18-7 and won a match in the National Tournament for the first time in program history.
The No. 12 seeded Ichabods got off to a fast start against the No. 4 seed Saints on Saturday, with Casie Curry and Marta Torres winning 6-4 at No. 3 doubles to kick off the action. Isabella Martensson and Issabella Pensavalle fell 6-4 on court two, evening everything up.
At No. 1, Sonia Smagina and Maja Jung, ranked No. 8 nationally, started out with a slim lead but Luisa Hrda and Dana Heimen, the No. 18 nationally ranked doubles tandem, were able to tie the set at six game each. In the tiebreaker, the Ichabods fell 7-2 giving Flagler a 1-0 lead.
The Saints took the first point in singles, at No. 6 Pensavalle fell 6-2 in the first set and 6-0 in the second. Facing No. 67 Heimen at No. 3, Curry lost a pair of 6-3 sets to make the match 3-0 in favor of Flagler. Washburn got a point back as Torres was able to snatch 6-4, 6-2 wins at No. 4.
No. 27 Jung lost her opening set on court two to No. 9 ranked Nadja Meier, 7-5. She bounced back to win 6-2 in the second set and force a third. In the deciding set she jumped out to a 3-0 lead and eventually won 6-4.
On the top court, No. 2 nationally ranked Smagina took her first set against No. 4 ranked Hrda into a tiebreaker. In the extra game she came back from down 5-0 to win 7-5 and take the opening set. Hrda was able to win 6-1 in the second set to force a third. The first four games of the third set were split 2-2 each way, in the second half of the match Hrda was able to pull away, winning 6-3 to clinch the match 4-2.
Martensson won a tight opening set 7-6(1) at No. 5, lost 6-2 in the second set and narrowly trailed 5-4 in the third set when the match was decided.
2022-23 SEASON NOTES:
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Washburn went 18-7 in the 2022-23 season, it was the ninth time in program history reaching 18 wins in a season
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The Ichabods won the MIAA Championship Tournament for the seventh time in program history with a 4-3 win over Northeastern State
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Six players earned All-MIAA honors, with Sonia Smagina winning Conference Player of the Year
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Washburn finished in second place in the MIAA regular season
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The Ichabods qualified for the NCAA National Championships for the third time in program history and for the second season in a row
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Washburn advanced to the NCAA National Semifinals for the first time ever
Doubles competition:
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Hrda, Luisa/Heimen, Dana (FC) def. Smagina, Sonia/Jung, Maja (WU) 7-6(2)
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Jipescu, Laura/Breunich, Addison Skye (FC) def. Martensson, Isabella/Pensavalle, Issabella (WU) 6-4
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Torres, Marta/Curry, Casie (WU) def. Massardo Brain, Florencia/Meier, Nadja (FC) 6-4
Order of finish: 3, 2, 1
Singles competition:
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Hrda, Luisa (FC) def. Smagina, Sonia (WU) 6(5)-7, 6-1, 6-3
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Jung, Maja (WU) def. Meier, Nadja (FC) 5-7, 6-2, 6-4
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Heimen, Dana (FC) def. Curry, Casie (WU) 6-3, 6-3
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Torres, Marta (WU) def. Kruk, Eryka (FC) 6-4, 6-2
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Martensson, Isabella (WU) vs Jipescu, Laura (FC) 7-6(1), 2-6, 4-5 UF
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Buss, Charlotta (FC) def. Pensavalle, Issabella (WU) 6-2, 6-0
Order of finish: 6, 3, 4, 2, 1
