INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Transylvania dropped two of three doubles matches to Rose-Hulman Saturday and the Engineers went on to knock the Pioneers out of the Heartland Conference Women's Tennis Tournament semifinals with a 5-1 win at the West Indy Racquet Club.
Earlier on Saturday, Transylvania took a tough 5-4 decision over Manchester to advance to the semifinal round.
The Pioneers (7-3) came into the event as the defending champions and the No. 3 seed. Manchester (6-6) was seeded sixth. Rose-Hulman is the tournament's No. 2 seed. The Engineers will take on No. 1 Franklin, which defeated Anderson, in the finals on Sunday morning.
No. 4 Anderson defeated Hanover to reach the seminfanals.
Against Manchester,
Claire Mielcarek, who hasn't lost an HCAC match this year, led off with wins in No. 1 singles and, teamed with
Kaitlin Hizny, at No. 2 doubles.
Victoria Haugli at No. 4 and Savannah Barnett at No. 6 also won singles matches for the Pioneers, who lost two of three doubles matches to fall behind early.
In the Rose-Hulman match, Mielcarek and Hizny again won at No. 1 doubles, but were unable to complete their singles matches, along with No. 3
Megan Dixon. Haugli,
Caroline Tapscott, and Barnett lost their singles matches.
Sunday's winner receives the HCAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament next May. Transy lost to Anderson in last year's final.
Transylvania 5, Manchester 4
10-13-12 at Indianapolis, IN (West Indy Racquet Club)
Singles
1. Mielcarek, Claire (TU) def. Kara Gilley (MU) 6-5, 6-4
2. Hizny, Kaitlin (TU) def. Brandy Leeper (MU) 6-1, 6-0
3. Alli Heeter (MU) def. Dixon, Megan (TU) 3-6, 6-4, 6-1
4. Haugli, Victoria (TU) def. Abby Berry (MU) 6-1, 6-3
5. Alyssa Dibley (MU) def. Tapscott, Caroline (TU) 6-2, 6-4
6. Barnett, Savannah (TU) def. Amanda Keating (MU) 3-6, 6-1, 6-4
Doubles
1. Mielcarek, Claire/Hizny, Kaitlin (TU) def. Kara Gilley/Brandy Leeper (MU) 8-3
2. Alli Heeter/Alyssa Dibley (MU) def. Haugli, Victoria/Dixon, Megan (TU) 8-2
3. Megan Buckner/Abby Berry (MU) def. McCreary, Taylor/Tapscott, Caroline (TU) 9-7
Rose-Hulman 5, Transylvania 1
Singles
1. Marie Stettler (RHIT) vs. Mielcarek, Claire (TU) unfinished
2. Suzana Mohd (RHIT) vs. Hizny, Kaitlin (TU) unfinished
3. Melissa Montgomery (RHIT) vs. Dixon, Megan (TU) unfinished
4. Paige Cook (RHIT) def. Haugli, Victoria (TU) 6-0, 6-1
5. Lauren Miller (RHIT) def. Tapscott, Caroline (TU) 6-2, 6-1
6. Kylie McCollum (RHIT) def. Barnett, Savannah (TU) 6-1, 6-1
Doubles
1. Mielcarek, Claire/Hizny, Kaitlin (TU) def. Marie Stettler/Melissa Montgomery (RHIT) 9-7
2. Koharuko Fujita/Paige Cook (RHIT) def. Haugli, Victoria/Dixon, Megan (TU) 8-1
3. Lauren Reberger/Kylie McCollum (RHIT) def. McCreary, Taylor/Barnett, Savannah (TU) 8-3