FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- The Denver women's tennis team (15-8, 7-0) dominated South Dakota State Sunday afternoon to win the Summit League Championship at the Dr. Rudy and Rhonda Kachmann Tennis Center. The Pioneers defeated the Jackrabbits, 4-0.

Denver earned the doubles point for the ninth match in a row. Sophomores Morgan Barnhill and Sonja Radosevic earned the first victory for the Pioneers, 8-1 on court two. Junior Charlotte Derbyshire and senior Michelle Garpenlov claimed the doubles point for the Pioneers with an, 8-3 win over Elif Gabb and Tacy Haws-Lay.

"I am very happy for the girls," said Head Coach Christian Thompson. "Their effort and positive attitude were strong all weekend. I have to give credit to South Dakota State as they were playing good doubles early on."

Sophomore Maureen Slattery pushed the score to, 2-0 with a straight-set win over Iasmin Rosa. Barnhill would follow that up with a, 6-1, 6-3 straight-set win of her own on court six.

Derbyshire would clinch the Championship point when she defeated Haws-Lay, 6-3, 6-1 on court four. Denver became the first team in Summit League history to win consecutive championships without yielding a point in each tournament. The Pioneers outscored Summit League opposition 53-4 this season, including five shutout wins in nine matches.

"We have worked hard all year to get ourselves in position for first round NCAAs," said Thompson. "It is finally here and we are going to hard the next two weeks to get ready."

Denver will await the NCAA pairings that will be revealed on NCAA.com at 3:30 p.m. MT.

Doubles competition
1. O'LOUGHLIN, Julia/SLATTERY, Maureen (WDEN) vs. Ffion Davies/Iasmin Rosa (SDSU) 6-5, unfinished
2. BARNHILL, Morgan/RADOSEVIC, Sonja (WDEN) def. Florencia Magni/Beatriz Souza (SDSU) 8-1
3. DERBYSHIRE, Charlott/GARPENLOV, Michelle (WDEN) def. Elif Gabb/Tacy Haws-Lay (SDSU) 8-3

Singles competition
1. Slattery, Maureen (WDEN) def. Iasmin Rosa (SDSU) 6-1, 6-3
2. Radosevic, Sonja (WDEN) vs. Ffion Davies (SDSU) 6-0, 3-2, unfinished
3. O'Loughlin, Julia (WDEN) vs. Florencia Magni (SDSU) 6-1, 5-2, unfinished
4. DERBYSHIRE, Charlott (WDEN) def. Tacy Haws-Lay (SDSU) 6-3, 6-1
5. Evy Van Genechten (WDEN) vs. Beatriz Souza (SDSU) 6-0, 5-3, unfinished
6. Barnhill, Morgan (WDEN) def. Elif Gabb (SDSU) 6-1, 6-3

Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (1,6,4)

 

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