It was only fitting that Natalie Villaflor completed the Emporia State women’s tennis team’s run to the MIAA Tournament Championship.
After falling to Washburn’s Julie Huyberechts three weeks ago to decide ESU’s matchup with Washburn, the junior received her redemption Sunday, winning 6-2, 6-2 to give the Lady Hornets a 5-2 victory and the MIAA Tournament Championship in St. Joseph, Mo.
“I didn’t even say anything to her at all on that match because she knew...” ESU coach John Cayton said. “That was big. I went up to her afterwards, and I knew she was feeling good.”
ESU won the conference tournament championship for the second time in three years, also handing rival Washburn’s its first loss of the season.
“Just being able to beat Washburn,” Cayton said, “is icing on the cake.”
With the tournament championship, ESU received an automatic entry into the NCAA Tournament.
The Lady Hornets started out better than they did in the teams’ previous matchup, taking the No. 2 and No. 3 doubles matches for an early 2-1 lead.
“We really wanted to go out and sweep it, but getting two out of the three, that was huge,” Cayton said. “It gave us a lot of momentum going into the singles.”
WU’s Diana Goldsmith defeated Marcela Bayon at No. 1 singles to tie it, but ESU won the next three matches.
Karly Schultz took a 6-2, 6-2 victory at No. 4 singles, and Lacey Luina followed with a 7-6 (6-4), 6-3 triumph at No. 3 singles.
Villaflor ended it, clinching the title with her win over Huyberechts.
“We knew they were good,” Cayton said. “I think last time we had some losses at positions that we don’t normally expect. This time, we made some adjustments and made up for it.”
ESU (14-2) advanced to the MIAA championship by defeating Truman, 5-0, and Missouri Western, 6-0, on Saturday.
Pairings and locations for the NCAA North Central Regional are scheduled to be released on Wednesday. The ESU women are ranked third in the region.
The ESU men fell in the first round of the conference tournament on Saturday, losing 5-2 to Truman.
Julian Rios contributed in both of the victories, winning his No. 1 singles match 6-0, 6-2, and pairing with Nathan Mai to win No. 1 doubles, 9-7.
The men (10-6) will now wait to see if they receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
2007 MIAA Women’s Tennis Tournament Championship Dual
Emporia State 5, #25 Washburn 2
Sunday at St. Joseph, Mo.
Singles
1. Goldsmith,Diana (WU-W) def. Bayon,Marcela (ESU-W) 6-1, 6-0
2. Villaflor,Natalie (ESU-W) def. Huyberechts,Julie (WU-W) 6-2, 6-2
3. Luina,Lacey (ESU-W) def. Raindl,Amber (WU-W) 7-6 (7-4), 6-3
4. Schultz,Karly (ESU-W) def. Miller,Audrie (WU-W) 6-2, 6-2
5. Harris,Lauren (WU-W) vs. Sherman,Audrey (ESU-W) 0-6, 7-6 (11-9), 1-0, unfinished
6. Gardner,Allie (WU-W) vs. Bowman,Molly (ESU-W) 6-4, 4-2, unfinished
Doubles
1. Goldsmith,Diana/Huyberechts,Julie (WU-W) def. #25 Villaflor,Natalie/Luina,Lacey (ESU-W) 9-7
2. Bayon,Marcela/Schultz,Karly (ESU-W) def. Raindl,Amber/Harris,Lauren (WU-W) 8-5
3. Sherman,Audrey/Bowman,Molly (ESU-W) def. Miller,Audrie/Coleman,Lisa (WU-W) 8-6
2007 MIAA Women’s Tennis Tournament
Saturday at St. Joseph, Mo.
Emporia State 6, Missouri Western State 0
Singles
1. Bayon,Marcela (ESU-W) def. Liebersbach,Tammy (MWSU-W) 6-1, 6-3
2. Villaflor,Natalie (ESU-W) def. Pechous,Kristy (MWSU-W) 6-1, 6-1
3. Luina,Lacey (ESU-W) def. Pankiewicz,Mary (MWSU-W) 6-1, 6-1
4. Rutten,Laura (MWSU-W) vs. Schultz,Karly (ESU-W) no result
5. Scopen,Audra (MWSU-W) vs. Sherman,Audrey (ESU-W) no result
6. Ritter,Michelle (MWSU-W) vs. Bowman,Molly (ESU-W) no result
Doubles
1. #25 Villaflor,Natalie/Luina,Lacey (ESU-W) def. Liebersbach,Tammy/Pankiewicz,Mary (MWSU-W) 8-2
2. Bayon,Marcela/Schultz,Karly (ESU-W) def. Pechous,Kristy/Rutten,Laura (MWSU-W) 8-4
3. Sherman,Audrey/Bowman,Molly (ESU-W) def. Scopen,Audra/Ritter,Michelle (MWSU-W) 8-4
Emporia State 5, Truman State 0
Singles
1. Bayon,Marcela (ESU-W) def. Salmon,Jennifer (TSU-W) 6-1, 6-1
2. Villaflor,Natalie (ESU-W) def. Blair,Lindsy (TSU-W) 6-2, 2-1, unfinished
3. Luina,Lacey (ESU-W) def. Walther,Courtney (TSU-W) 6-0, 6-3
4. Schultz,Karly (ESU-W) vs. Wittmer,Hannah (TSU-W) no result
5. Sherman,Audrey (ESU-W) vs. Krause,Jessie (TSU-W) no result
6. Bowman,Molly (ESU-W) vs. Van,Duyen (TSU-W) no result
Doubles
1. #25 Villaflor,Natalie/Luina,Lacey (ESU-W) def.Blair,Lindsy/Walther,Courtney (TSU-W) 8-5
2. Bayon,Marcela/Schultz,Karly (ESU-W) def. Salmon,Jennifer/Wittmer,Hannah (TSU-W) 8-0
3. Sherman,Audrey/Bowman,Molly (ESU-W) def. Krause,Jessie/Warden,Taylor (TSU-W) 8-1
2007 MIAA Men’s Tennis Tournament
Saturday at St. Joseph, Mo.
Truman State 5, Emporia State 2
Singles
1. Rios,Julian (ESU-M) def. Cope,Ryan (TSU-M) 6-0, 6-2
2. Bracha,Peter (TSU-M) vs. Mai,Nathan (ESU-M) 5-7, 1-5, unfinished
3. Hipkiss,Steven (TSU-M) def. Schoon,Kevin (ESU-M) 6-2, 6-4
4. Pusateri,Cody (TSU-M) def. Hougland,Ross (ESU-M) 6-4, 6-3
5. Schlotz,Kyle (TSU-M) vs. Arnhold,Kevin (ESU-M) 6-7, 1-4, unfinished
6. Rothfusz,John (TSU-M) def. Ewertz,Branden (ESU-M) 6-4, 6-1
Doubles
1. Rios,Julian/Mai,Nathan (ESU-M) def. Cope,Ryan/Bracha,Peter (TSU-M) 9-7
2. Schlotz,Kyle/Rothfusz,John (TSU-M) def. Schoon,Kevin/Hougland,Ross (ESU-M) 8-6
3. Hipkiss,Steven/Pusateri,Cody (TSU-M) def. Arnhold,Kevin/Ewertz,Branden (ESU-M) 8-6