Women's Tennis | 10/12/2021 2:31:04 PM
Nazareth College, Hartwick College, St. John Fisher College and Houghton College will vie for the 2021 Empire 8 Women’s Tennis Championship, which takes place on Friday, Oct. 15 and Saturday, Oct. 16, hosted by Houghton. Top-seed Nazareth will face No. 4 seed Houghton in the first semifinal Friday at 11 a.m., while No. 2 seed Hartwick will take on third-seeded St. John Fisher in the second semifinal match at 2 p.m. The two semifinal winners will meet for the 2021 Empire 8 Championship on Saturday at 1 p.m.
The league champion receives an automatic berth into the 2022 NCAA Division III Women’s Tennis Championship, which takes place starting May 12-15. The 2022 NCAA Division III Women’s Tennis Finals take place from May 23-29 at the National Campus (Collegiate Center) in Orlando, Fla.
Nazareth enters the tournament as the top seed for the second time in just under seven months. The Golden Flyers won the 2021 Empire 8 regular season title after going 6-0 in league play. Hartwick, the two seed, finished 5-1 in league play, while St. John Fisher went 4-2 and Houghton was 3-3.
Nazareth is looking to win its second Empire 8 title in just over six months and sixth league championship in program history. The Golden Flyers went 6-0 in league play during the regular season and 7-1 overall. Sophomore Aliya Guzman, the Spring 2021 Empire 8 Player and Rookie of the Year, has continued her dominance this fall, with a 5-1 mark in league play at first singles and 6-0 mark at first doubles, teaming with Claire Pullen. Guzman is a two-time Empire 8 Player of the Week. Guzman, Pullen, Lauren Carr, Lily Bulkeley, Caroline Breitweiser and Kaitlyn Speth have excelled in singles play, combining to post a 24-6 record against E8 foes in 2021.
Hartwick is making its 11th appearance in the Empire 8 Tournament and is attempting to win its first postseason contest since 2000. The Hawks went 8-2 during the regular season and 5-1 in league play. Jade Killikelly, Ryann Ashby, Victoria Wilson, Val Kohberger, Jess Sexton and Colleen Marsh have served as mainstays throughout the singles lineup this season. Killikelly is 6-3 at first singles, while Ashby has the same mark in the second singles spot. Killikelly and Wilson are 8-2 at first doubles in 2021, including a 5-1 mark in league play. Killikelly was named the Empire 8 Player of the Week on Oct. 4.
The Cardinals are two seasons removed from their first Empire 8 Championship and advanced to the title match last spring. St. John Fisher went 5-4 during the regular season, including a 4-2 mark in league play. Kathryn Strait, Mikayla Santulli, Keely Legnard, Maddie Galvin, Jacqueline Chouinard and Riley Ellis are expected to be in the lineup for the Cardinals.
Houghton advanced to the Empire 8 Tournament in dramatic fashion, defeating Alfred, 5-4 on Saturday to claim the fourth seed in the tournament. Tessa Brown earned the decisive point for Houghton at sixth singles after rallying from a 5-2 deficit in the third and final set to win in a tiebreaker. Elise Swanson, Erin Haley, Chloe Esch, Maddison Soth, Marilynn Amborski and Brown and have represented the Highlanders in singles play this season. The first doubles duo of Swanson and Haley went 4-2 in league play. The Highlanders are making their fourth appearance in the league championship tournament.
Earlier this season, Nazareth defeated Houghton, 7-2 on Oct. 1, while Hartwick defeated St. John Fisher, 5-4 on Sept. 11.
This weekend's championship schedule is below. For the most up to date information on this year's championship, follow the Empire 8 Conference on Twitter (@Empire8). If there is inclement weather, matches will be played indoors at Houghton’s Pegula Field House.
2021 Empire 8 Women's Tennis Championship Schedule
Friday, October 15 - Semifinals (at Houghton)
(Indoor or Outdoor)
#1 Nazareth College at #4 Houghton College - 11 a.m.
#2 Hartwick College vs. #3 St. John Fisher College -
2 p.m.
Saturday, October 16 - Championship (at Houghton)
Winner of Semifinal #1 vs. Winner of Semifinal #2 – 1 p.m. (Indoor or Outdoor)
Format: Dual match is played until decision (5 points) Three doubles matches are followed by six singles matches. No-ad scoring for both singles and doubles matches. Singles matches will play two out of three sets. Doubles play eight pro set with a twelve-point tiebreaker at 7-all.
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
www.empire8.com.
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