TOPEKA, Kan. -- No. 14 Washburn women's tennis is heading to the NCAA National Championships for a third straight season after defeating No. 34 Missouri Western 4-1 on Saturday afternoon at the Washburn Tennis Complex. The Ichabods will begin play in Altamonte Springs, Fla. on Monday, May 20.
Washburn (20-5) created its first advantage in doubles play beginning with No. 7 ranked Maja Jung and Lara Schmid winning 6-1 at No. 1 to gain the edge. Maddie Shelley and Renske Ubachs took an early lead and pulled away late to win 6-3 and clinch the first point of the match from court three. Peyton Koper and Isabella Martensson were all tied 5-5 at No. 2 when the point was decided.
Schmid started off singles play from No. 6 with a 6-2 win in her first set. She continued rolling through the second, sweeping for a 6-0 victory. The Griffons (18-4) got on the board as Shelley fell in a pair of 6-2 sets at No. 5 to make it 2-1. Playing on the top court No. 5 ranked Jung won her opening set 6-2 over No. 42 Anya Chavez. In the second set she trailed four games to none before reeling off six straight to take the second set 6-4 and bring up match point.
Playing from No. 2, Ubachs was all knotted up at five games each in her first set before she pulled away in the final two, taking her first set. In the second she gained an early lead and didn't relinquish it, winning the final two games to clinch the match with a 6-3 win and send the Ichabods to nationals.
Koper was in the middle of her third set at No. 3 after falling 7-4 in a first set tiebreaker. Martensson had just evened her dual from No. 4 at one set each after a 6-4 win in the second set when the match was decided.
Doubles competition:
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Jung, Maja/Schmid, Lara (WU) def. Chavez, Anya/Langiu, Greta (MWSU) 6-1
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Koper, Peyton/Martensson, Isabella (WU) vs MacGibbon, Izzi/Saez, Maria (MWSU) 5-5 UF
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Ubachs, Renske/Shelley, Maddie (WU) def. Granero, Christina/Peralta, Anais (MWSU) 6-3
Order of finish: 1, 3
Singles competition:
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Jung, Maja (WU) def. Chavez, Anya (MWSU) 6-2, 6-4
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Ubachs, Renske (WU) def. MacGibbon, Izzi (MWSU) 7-5, 6-3
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Peralta, Anais (MWSU) vs. Koper, Peyton (WU) 7-6(4), 4-2 UF
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Martensson, Isabella (WU) vs. Granero, Christina (MWSU) 3-6, 6-4 UF
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Saez, Maria (MWSU) def. Shelley, Maddie (WU) 6-2, 6-2
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Schmid, Lara (WU) def. Langiu, Greta (MWSU) 6-2, 6-0
Order of finish: 6, 5, 1, 2
