Both ACU teams to play for titles

ACU men, women advance to regional championship match

ABILENE, TX -- Both of the top-seeded Abilene Christian University men's and women's tennis teams breezed through Thursday's semifinals and into Friday's championship matches at the NCAA Division II Central Region tournament at the Eager Tennis Center.

The ACU women - who picked up their school-record 30th win of the season - beat Drury 5-0 and will play Lone Star Conference rival Northeastern State in Friday's championship match at 12:15 p.m.  The NSU Lady Reds coasted into the championship match by virtue of a 5-2 win over LSC rival Cameron.

The ACU men improved to 21-9 on the season with a 5-1 win over Rockhurst in the semifinals and will face LSC rival Midwestern State in Friday's championship match at 10 a.m.  MSU knocked off Cameron 5-0 in the first semifinal match of the day to earn a spot in the championship match.

The two championship winners will advance to the NCAA Division II national tournament, which will be played May 11-14 in Altamonte Springs, Fla.`

ACU and Midwestern State squared off on April 22 in Abilene for the LSC championship with the Wildcats coming out on top, 5-4.  ACU earned the LSC title when Jason Ray defeated Charles van Swelm, 6-3, 6-7, 6-4.  The Indians had a 4-3 lead on the Wildcats before Kevin Beedy won his match to knot the score at 4-4.

MSU will be looking for its win of the season over the Wildcats, who beat MSU 6-3 in a match in Abilene on Feb. 15.  The ACU men are playing for their third straight regional title, third straight berth in the national tournament and their ninth appearance overall in the national tournament.

On the women's side, the Wildcats will be taking on the team most observers thought it would have played two weeks ago in the LSC championship match.  Instead the Lady Reds were upset in the semifinals, denying fans the opportunity to see the league's two top teams vie for the title.  ACU instead beat Midwestern State, 5-3, in the title match.

Friday, though, the Wildcats and Lady Reds will square off with a berth in the national tournament on the line.  Neither team broke much of a sweat Thursday as they each held the lead after doubles (NSU up 2-1 and ACU up 3-0) and then coasted through singles play to grab a pair of victories.

ACU -- 30-5 on the season and ranked an all-time-high No. 7 in the nation -- is trying to win its sixth straight regional title and earn its 10th straight berth in the national tournament.  A win would send ACU to the national tournament for the 18th time in school history.

NCAA DIVISION II CENTRAL REGION TENNIS TOURNAMENT
EAGER TENNIS CENTER * ABILENE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY * ABILENE, TX

WOMEN
Friday, May 5
Semifinals
Northeastern (Okla.) State 5, Cameron (Okla.) 2
     Singles -- Holly McKee, NSU, def. Thatianne Moreira, CU, 6-2, 6-3; Carolina Vera-Vera, CU, def. Berit Itschert, NSU, 6-2, 6-3; Simona Stoica, NSU, def. Marianne Reeves, CU, 6-3, 6-4; Amanda Stone, NSU, def. Mehgan Goforth, CU, 6-3, 6-1.
     Doubles -- Holly McKee-Berit Itschert, NSU, def. Thatianne Moreira-Paulina Trujillo, CU, 8-1; Carolina Vera-Vera-Mehgan Goforth, CU, def. Simona Stoica-Kelli Sturm, NSU, 9-8 (7); Amanda Stone-Nicole Chambers, NSU, def. Taylor Ivie-Sandra Leigh King, CU, 9-8 (4).

Abilene Christian 5, Drury (Mo.) 0
     Singles -- Summer Beesley, ACU, def. Camille Ducourt, Drury, 6-1, 6-0; Ashley Hawk-Caperton, ACU, def. Megan Blosser, Drury, 6-1, 6-1.
     Doubles -- Lana Pavlin-Holly Lindloff, ACU, def. Camille Ducourt-Marie Minowa, Drury, 8-6; Rachel Taylor-Lauren Yarbrough, ACU, def. Megan Fraser-Nina Jagasia, Drury, 8-1; Summer Beesley-Meagan Brown, ACU, def. Anna King-Megan Blosser, Drury, 9-8.

MEN
Friday, May 5
Semifinals
Midwestern State 5, Cameron 0
     Singles -- Rohan William, MSU, def. Jordi Mullor, CU, 6-3, 6-4; Jared King, MSU, def. Jorge Zabrodiec, CU, 6-2, 6-4.
     Doubles -- Gene Ligeon-Rohan William, MSU, def. Rafael Zurita--Oscar Guerra, CU, 8-6; Brett Emerson-Charles van Swelm, MSU, def. Carlos Fernandez-Jordi Mullor, CU, 8-3; Zac Dillard-Jared King, MSU, def. Alex Furlan-Darren Cobble, CU, 8-6.

Abilene Christian 5, Rockhurst (Mo.) 1
     Singles -- Artin Tafazoli, ACU, def. Gareth Dowdell, Rockhurst, 6-0, 7-6 (10-8); George Carstens, ACU, def. Zach Miller, Rockhurst, 6-1, 6-1; Kevin Beedy, ACU, def. Josh Kopmeyer, Rockhurst, 6-2, 7-6.
     Doubles -- Gareth Dowdell-Mikhail Arkaev, Rockhurst, def. Casper Steenkamp-George Carstens, ACU, 8-5; Artin Tafazoli-Kevin Beedy, ACU, def. Garrett Fischer-Josh Kopmeyer, Rockhurst, 8-4; Jason Ray-Evan Puglia, ACU, def. Paul Ravkin-Zach Miller, Rockhurst, 8-3.