CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa --- For the second-straight year, the Coe College women's tennis team won the IIAC Automatic Qualifier Tournament, advancing to the NCAA Tournament.
Iowa Conference Women's Tennis NCAA Automatic Qualifier Tournament Webpage
Semifinal #1 --- Coe 5, Central 0
The Kohawks opened the day with a 5-0 victory over Central. Coe held a 3-0 lead after doubles play. At number one doubles, Michelle Schupbach and Tai Lucero defeated Angie Allgood and Megan Davis 8-0. Schupbach also picked up a 6-0, 6-0 win over Davis at number two singles.
At number two doubles, Elizabeth Hoffmann and Laura Birky defeated Anna Striegel and Anna Bowser 8-2. Coe's third doubles victory came from Tamara Washington and Jordan Ferree, as they defeated Ashlyn Huegel and Amanda Kuhn 8-3. The deciding singles victory came at number three, as Amy Sebastian downed Striegel 6-3, 6-0. Coe had won the first set in the remaining four singles matches before play was called.
Semifinal #2 --- Luther 5, Wartburg 1
Luther captured the other semifinal with a 5-1 win over Wartburg. The Norse led 2-1 after doubles play. At number one doubles, Elise Allen and Maggie Helms defeated Claire Evans and Melissa Davis 8-3. Allen and Helms also picked up singles victories: Allen over Jennifer Dallenbach 6-1, 7-5 at number one and Helms 7-5, 6-4 over Katherine Ross at number three.
Lola White-Baer and Hailey Johnson picked up Luther's second doubles win at number three with an 8-4 decision over Michelle MacKenzie and Brita Jensen.
Annie Whiteley provided the final Norse point with a 6-3, 6-3 win over MacKenzie at number five.
The Knights picked up their only point at number two doubles where Dallenbach and Ross defeated Katy Lindstrom and Whiteley by a 9-7 score.
Consolation --- Wartburg 5, Central 2
Wartburg swept doubles play, picking up a 9-8 (7) win from Evans and Melissa Davis over Allgood and Megan Davis at number one, an 8-3 win from Dallenbach and Ross over Striegel and Bowser at number two, and an 8-5 win from MacKenzie and Jensen over Huegel and Kuhn at number three.
The Dutch scored a pair of points when Allgood dropped Dallenbach 6-0, 6-2 at number one singles and Bowser downed MacKenzie 6-2, 6-2 at number five.
The Knights locked up the win as Ross defeated Striegel 6-1, 6-4 at number three and Evans swept Kuhn 6-0, 6-0 at number four.
Championship --- Coe 5, Luther 3
Second-seeded Luther jumped out to a 2-1 lead after doubles play in the championship match. Coe's lone victory came at number one, as Schupbach and Lucero downed Elise Allen and Maggie Helms 8-0. It was the fifth-straight win for the Kohawk pair, as they improved to 23-3 on the year.
Coe won four of the five completed singles matches, taking the victory over Luther 5-3. At number two singles, Schupbach downed Lola White-Baer 6-0, 6-0. At number three singles, Sebastian defeated Helms 6-2, 6-4, while Birky beat Katy Lindstrom 6-2, 6-0 at number four. At number five singles, Ferree downed Annie Whiteley 6-3, 6-2. At number one singles, Lucero led Allen 6-0, 2-1 when the match was called.
The NCAA Tournament is scheduled to begin May 10. This will be the fourth appearance in the NCAA Tournament for the Kohawks, as they also qualified in 2007, 2008 and 2012. Coe is 3-3 all-time in the tournament, having won a first round match in all three previous appearances.
