#11 Tartans Advance to NCAA Quarterfinals with 5-0 Win at #13 Kenyon

(GAMBIER, Ohio) - The 11th-ranked Carnegie Mellon University women's tennis team advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III Women's Tennis Championship for the sixth time in program history after a 5-0 win at 13th-ranked Kenyon College on Saturday, May 11.

The Tartans (19-7) first got on the board with an 8-3 victory by juniors Courtney Ollis (Suffern, N.Y. / Suffern) and Vinaya Rao (Vernon Hills, Ill. / Adlai E. Stevenson) at second doubles. Senior Jamie Vizelman (Highland Heights, Ohio / Mayfield) and freshman Janabelle Wu (San Jose, Calif. / Lynbrook) finished next with an 8-4 win at third doubles. The nationally ranked duo of sophomore Melissa Strome (West Bloomfield, Mich. / West Bloomfield) and freshman Danna Taylor (Orlando, Fla. / Circle Christian School) then made it a 3-0 lead for the Tartans by coming from behind to win 8-7 (7-1) at the first position.

The Tartans won the first set at all six positions of singles play with team points coming at first and fourth singles.

Wu finished at fourth singles by a 6-3, 6-0 score against senior Maggie Sweeney just ahead of Taylor at first singles, who won 6-3, 6-2 against sophomore Erika Oku.

"Our players have all went through some ups and downs this year but everyone is peaking now at the right time," said head coach Andrew Girard. "We were extremely dialed in this weekend, which was needed because it is difficult to go on the road and beat a very solid team like Kenyon."

The tournament run will continue for the Tartans with quarterfinal action beginning on Monday, May 20 at Stowe Stadium on the campus of Kalamazoo College.