Contact: Drew Sauer, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324
Box Score
KENOSHA, Wis. (May 1, 2021) – Scoring the biggest win in program history on Saturday, the North Central College women's tennis team soared to the first College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Automatic Qualifier Tournament Championship with a 5-0 shutout over Augustana College to claim the conference's automatic bid to the 2021 NCAA Division III Championships.
Continuing to set new program standards this season, the Cardinals (14-5) did not allow a point in the three matches of the CCIW AQ Tournament, winning all three matches by 5-0 scores and qualifies for the NCAA Division III Championships for the first time in program history.
North Central was no match for third-seeded Augustana (10-6) from the start, as
Mikayla Edquiban and
Sydney Sawyer teamed up to shut out Morgan Bullen and Kalli Majewski, 8-0 to open the scoring in doubles play at the No. 2 position.
Following at the No. 1 position,
Hannah Hougland and
Alaina Kanthaphixay took care of Annie Timm and Lily Schoeck, 8-4, before
Kaeli Smashey and
Nina Patience completed the doubles sweep with an identical 8-4 victory over Caitlyn Hanulikova and Lauren Oda at the No. 3 spot.
Leading 3-0 heading into singles play, the Cardinals won the first set in all six matches, before Kanthaphixay set up match point with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Michaela Magee at the No. 3 position. Finishing shortly after at the No. 4 position, Edquiban clinched the historic tournament win for North Central with a convincing 6-1, 6-2 victory over Hanulikova.
North Central will await its location for the NCAA Regional Round, announced on Monday, May 10 in the NCAA Division III women's tennis selection show. Additional information on the 2021 NCAA Division III Women's Tennis Championships is available at
HERE.
