#11 Tartans Advance to Regional Final of the NCAA Championships

(GAMBIER, Ohio) - The 11th-ranked Carnegie Mellon University women's tennis team advanced to the regional final of the 2019 NCAA Division III Women's Tennis Championship on Friday with a 5-0 win over Wheaton College (Ill.). The match was played on the campus of Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. The Tartans improve to 18-7 while the Thunder conclude the season with a mark of 17-6.

The Tartans second doubles tandem of juniors Vinaya Rao (Vernon Hills, Ill. / Adlai E. Stevenson) and Courtney Ollis (Suffern, N.Y. / Suffern) started the scoring with an 8-1 win. The Cardinal and Gray top doubles team of sophomore Melissa Strome (West Bloomfield, Mich. / West Bloomfield) and freshman Danna Taylor (Orlando, Fla. / Circle Christian School) made the score 2-0 shortly after with an 8-1 victory.

Carnegie Mellon's third doubles team of senior Jamie Vizelman (Highland Heights, Ohio / Mayfield) and freshman Janabelle Wu (San Jose, Calif. / Lynbrook) then completed the sweep with an 8-2 win.

Wu claimed the first point in singles for the Tartans before Taylor ended the match, as both won in straight sets.

The Tartans advance to the regional final of the NCAA Tournament for the 14th time in school history. Five times the Tartans have won and advanced to the quarterfinals. On Saturday, the Tartans will meet the winner of 13th-ranked Kenyon and Hope College at 12:00 p.m.