DAYTON, Ohio – A decisive outcome at the top singles matchup ultimately clinched the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Women’s Tennis Championship title for Davis & Elkins on Saturday morning.
The Senators toppled the Yellow Jackets by a score of 5-1 at the Dayton Indoor Courts with the match officially declared at the point of decision.
For top-seeded Davis & Elkins, the program will cash in the G-MAC’s first automatic qualifier to the NCAA Division II Championship Midwest Regional at a site to be determined.
A total of seven teams from the Midwest Region will be announced (three conference tournament champs and four at-large selections).
The Senators will head into regional action at 14-10 overall after piecing together a perfect regular-season run in the league at 7-0.
“I’m extremely proud today -- this is a great group of young ladies,” said D&E head coach Otis Cutshaw. “We had a goal of being here. Last year was tough losing 5-3 and our goal was to get ready for this moment. Cedarville played a very tough match against us both times. The team worked really hard and did what I asked of them.”
Cedarville had qualified for the final after ousting No. 3 seed Alderson Broaddus on Friday. D&E’s opening-round matchup was declared a no contest against No. 4 seed Salem International.
Davis & Elkins freshman Elise Simon and Cedarville’s junior Lauren Jackson were locked in another tight head-to-head matchup after the pair just faced each other not long ago on April 23.
Back then, Jackson won in three sets and Simon was able to return the favor against a budding rival. Jackson won the first set, but Simon regrouped and gained momentum to win 6-2, 6-2, to complete the rally.
Jackson was voted as the G-MAC Player of the Year by the coaches. Simon was tabbed as the G-MAC Freshman of the Year.
The Senators’ core is young with the lone senior being Halima Michael, the most recent G-MAC Women’s Tennis Athlete of the Week. Michael won another matchup against Cedarville’s Kristen Heydt at No. 2 singles while D&E’s Amanda Fewster took care of business in straights vs. Deanna Whalen, 6-2, 7-5.
The Senators turn their sights to the Midwest Regional, where the site will presumably be at the University of Indianapolis. D&E played the Greyhounds back in late February at the Midwest Duals and also played another team that is looking to make the tournament, Northwood (Mich.).
“We’re extremely ground to represent the school (Davis & Elkins) and the conference to help take teams to the next level,” added Cutshaw, who also serves on the national committee for the sport. “We will be able to compete well at the top and we will enjoy the experience.”