Wichita, Kan. – The McPherson College women's tennis team defended their KCAC title on Friday as they defeated Kansas Wesleyan University in the semifinals and then Bethel College in the finals 5-0 and 5-2, respectively. The Lady 'Dogs will be the conference's representative at the 2015 NAIA Women's Tennis National Championships in mid-May.
Because of the matches getting moved indoors due to the weather, the competition between the Coyotes and the Bulldogs was delayed two hours. Once action finally got going, it was all MC as they took care of Kansas Wesleyan 5-0. In doubles, Mac dropped just two points, coming at No. 2 doubles; both No. 1 and No. 3 rolled 8-0.
The 'Dogs got a free point at No. 6 singles and Brittany Gourlay won her match at the No. 4 position (6-1, 6-0) to claim the match for McPherson.
In the championship match, MC took on the same opponent as they did in 2014 in Bethel College. Gourlay and Chandler Short scored first for the Bulldogs as they dispatched BC 8-2. The Vorhees sisters won 8-4 at the top doubles position. Nikki Thornburg and Nadine Baquiran trailed 5-0 but then came back and tied it up at 7-7; unfortunately, they lost 9-7, giving Mac a 2-1 advantage heading into singles.
With just three courts available, the top three positions were the first to get started. All three matches were tightly contested but Bethel was able to grab the first point as Nikki Vorhees fell at No. 1 to the KCAC Player of the Year 7-5, 6-3. Despite starting after No. 2 and No. 3, Gourlay was the next to finish at the No. 4 position, winning 6-0, 6-2. Brooke Vorhees gave McPherson a 4-2 lead with her win at No. 2 singles 6-4, 6-3; the match only went two sets but felt like a three-setter. At the No. 3 slot, Thornburg dropped the first set 6-3 but then regained her composure and won the second 6-4; in the final set, the junior transfer earned Mac their fifth point with a 6-3 victory.
With the tournament win, the Lady Bulldogs are headed to the NAIA championships which are scheduled to begin May 12th in Mobile, Alabama; the qualifiers and bracket are set to be released in early May.
Final Score:
McPherson College 5 – Kansas Wesleyan 0
Doubles
1. Vorhees/Vorhees (Mac) def. Reese/Zimmerman (KWU) 8-0
2. Thornburg/Baquiran (Mac) def. Cook/Koester (KWU) 8-2
3. Gourlay/Short (Mac) def. Noel/Sanchez (KWU) 8-0
Singles
1. Nikki Vorhees (Mac) vs. Amber Zimmerman (KWU) DNF
2. Brooke Vorhees (Mac) vs. Cassidy Cook (KWU) DNF
3. Nikki Thornburg (Mac) vs. Heather Koester (KWU) DNF
4. Brittany Gourlay (Mac) def. Sydney Reese (KWU) 6-1, 6-0
5. Nadine Baquiran (Mac) vs. Brenda Sanchez (KWU) DNF
6. Clair Crossman (Mac) won by Default
Final Score:
McPherson College 5 – Bethel College 2
Doubles
1. Vorhees/Vorhees (Mac) def. Weaver/Hipp (BC) 8-4
2. Homer/Herzog (BC) def. Thornburg/Baquiran (Mac) 9-7
3. Gourlay/Short (Mac) def. Rogers/Buzbee (BC) 8-2
Singles
1. Bree Homer (BC) def. Nikki Vorhees (Mac) 7-5, 6-3
2. Brooke Vorhees (Mac) def. Allie Hipp (BC) 6-4, 6-3
3. Nikki Thornburg (Mac) def. Madelyn Weaver 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
4. Brittany Gourlay (Mac) def. Rachel Herzog 6-0, 6-2
5. Nadine Baquiran (Mac) vs. Ashley Suhr (BC) DNF
6. Claire Crossman (Mac) vs. Rachel Shogren (BC) DNF
