[Championships Page]

[Results]

MADISON, Wis. – Grinnell won three singles championships while Lake Forest won a pair and Carroll was triumphant in one in the final day of the 2013 Midwest Conference Women’s Tennis Championships in Madison, Wis.

Hannah Feldman earned the first gold medal of the day when she defeated Katherine Ake of St. Norbert 6-1, 6-4 in the No. 4 flight. Feldman started the day with a quarterfinals win over Kathleen Frankel of Lawrence (6-1, 6-4) and then defeated Beloit’s Maria Mears 6-7 (7-5), 6-4, 6-0 to earn a spot in the championship match. This was Feldman’s fourth singles championship in her career and the second championship in the No. 4 flight as she won gold last year also. The championship was the 44th for Grinnell and it was the 11th in the No. 4 flight.

Shirlene Luk captured the Pioneers second gold medal of the day with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Carroll’s Abigail Pellett. Luk’s path to the championship match started with a quarterfinal win over Tamar Norville (Illinois Col.) in straight sets 6-1, 6-1 before winning in the semifinals over Sarah Paulson after Paulson had to retire due to an injury. This was Luk’s second singles championship after she won a title in the No. 3 flight in 2011. For Grinnell it is the 45th singles title as the third in the No. 1 flight.

Lake Forest got on the championship board with a win by Marisa Guggenheim over Emma Macdonald 6-2, 7-5. Guggenheim defeated Heather Schrauth of Cornell (6-2, 6-2) in the quarterfinals before defeating Ariel Bloniarz (St. Norbert) 0-6, 6-2, 6-2 in the semifinal. This was the 18th singles championship for Lake Forest and the sixth in the No. 5 flight for the school.

Julie Schweiss won a gold medal in the No. 6 flight as she defeated her St. Norbert counterpart, Brittany Dudzik 6-1, 6-3. Schweiss defeated Knox’s Keegan Dohm 6-0, 6-1 in the quarterfinals and then beat Julia Rumley 6-2, 6-4 in the semifinals to set up her championship performance. The gold medal was Carroll’s fifth singles championship in school history and it was the first championship in the No. 6 flight.

Sadhana Athreya earned the next gold of the championship day with a win in the No. 2 flight over Christi Valicenti of Lake Forest 6-4, 6-4. Athreya started her day with a quarterfinal win over Ripon’s Maddie Vanden Houten 6-1, 6-0 and then won 6-2, 6-0 in the semifinals over Erika Chitko of St. Norbert. The title was Grinnell’s third of the day and 46th singles title overall and the seventh in the No. 2 flight.

Grace Dowling earned a second championship for Lake Forest with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Elizabeth Manlick in the championship contest. The gold medal run for Dowling started with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Grinnell’s Virginia Purcell which was followed by a 3-6, 6-0, 6-1 victory over Beloit’s Alex Hinck in the semifinals. The gold is the 19th in Lake Foreset history and the second in the No. 3 flight.

Illinois Col. was recognized for their sportsmanship all season, and in the tournament, receiving the team Sportsmanship Award for the 2013 season. Grinnell Head Coach Andy Hamilton was also named 2013 Midwest Conference Women’s Tennis Coaches of the Year. Both awards were voted on by the member coaches at this weekend’s championships.

Team Standings
1. Grinnell – 84*
2. Lake Forest – 72*
3. St. Norbert – 72
4. Carroll – 57
5. Beloit – 36
6. Lawrence – 27
7. Cornell – 21
8. Knox – 18
9. Ripon – 14
10. Illinois Col. – 11
11. Monmouth – 5

* - Top two spots are determined by the team championship


Marisa Gugenheim talks about winning gold in the No. 5 flight:



Shirlene Luk talks about winning the No. 1 flight championship: