The Hillsdale College women's tennis team acquitted itself well at one of the biggest events of the fall this weekend.
The Chargers had three singles players advance at least one round and saw one of its doubles teams make a run to the B Draw finals at the ITA Midwest Regional this past Saturday, Sunday and Monday, hosted by Grand Valley State University.
Inclement weather throughout the weekend meant the cancellation of consolation brackets in the event, making all four draws single-elimination and increasing the pressure on all players to perform immediately against tough competition.
Despite the added challenge, several Hillsdale players thrived, especially the doubles pairing of sophomore Libby McGivern and senior Ellie Chawner. Competing in the B doubles draw, the two Hillsdale players rolled past four straight opponents, starting with a dominant 8-1 victory over Paula Martinez and Anna Matino of Quincy in the round of 32, to reach the finals of the bracket.
McGivern and Chawner also earned an 8-5 win over the team of Eqa Podulka and Neva Manas of Michigan Tech in the round of 16, an 8-4 win in the quarterfinals over Calli Sokolowski and Elizabeth Stuart of Saginaw Valley State, and an 8-3 semifinal win over Victoria Lisson and Emily Orlove of Maryville to reach the finals.
With the title on the line, McGivern and Chawner put up a strong fight, but ultimately came up short to the eighth-seeded team of Anaelle Lepinay and Carina Avram of Tiffin in an exciting 8-6 match.
While McGivern and Chawner made the deepest run, several other Chargers impressed. In the A singles draw, senior Sarah Hackman knocked off Northwood's Rafaela Platsiota of Northwood, 6-3, 6-4 to advance to the round of 32, where Hackman put up a tough fight against one of the favorites, fourth-seeded Maissane Aik of Indianapolis, before bowing out in a 6-4, 6-3 defeat.
Two Hillsdale players also won multiple matches in the B singles draw. Junior Melanie Zampardo rolled past Anabel Aguilar of Lewis, 6-1, 6-0 and Madison Arquette of Findlay, 6-1, 6-3 in dominant fashion to reach the round of 16, where Zampardo took GVSU's Leonie Leister to the wire before falling in a hard-fought 2-6, 6-3, 5-7 match.
Meanwhile, senior teammate Canela Luna pulled off the Chargers' biggest upset of the event during her first round match in the B singles draw, stunning fourth-seeded Shanice Weekes of Wayne State 7-5, 6-3, and won a three-set thriller over Marina Fernandez of Michigan Tech, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 to reach the round of 16 as well. There, Luna had another three-set battle with Kseniia Eremina of Drury, winning the first set 6-4 but falling 3-6, 4-10 in the final two sets to see an impressive run come to an end.
The Chargers will look to build off of the momentum of a strong performance this coming weekend, as Hillsdale hosts its annual Charger Invitational on Saturday and Sunday to wrap up the fall portion of its season. With several strong teams in attendance, it will be another chance for Hillsdale to see where it stands as a team heading into winter training.