Panthers elminated in regional semifinals

CLAREMONT, Calif. – The season came to an end for the Chapman University women's tennis team with a 5-2 loss to No. 12-ranked Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in the second round of the NCAA Division III West Regionals at the Biszantz Family Tennis Center on Friday. The host Athenas advance to the regional finals to face defending West Region champs Pomona-Pitzer Colleges on Saturday.

No. 15-ranked Chapman was hoping to avenge a 6-3 loss to Claremont a week earlier. A win would have earned the Panthers a rematch with Pomona-Pitzer, who they lost to in the 2010 finals. The Panthers have reached at least the West Region semifinals for three straight years.

The match got off to a promising start for Chapman (9-11) after the Panthers took two of the three doubles matches. In a battle of top-ranked doubles opponents, Claremont's Kristin Lim and Crystal Lim defeated Chapman All-Americans Liz Lewis and Kelley Fox 8-3.

However, the Panthers captured each of the next two doubles matches to take a 2-1 lead going into singles play. Chapman's second seed duo of junior Melissa Boyer and sophomore Genna Ford defeated Claremont's Chloe Dobbert and Jessie Huang 8-4. Meanwhile, Chapman freshmen Kelley Klebenow and Danielle Kaiden beat Athenas' Hannah Kornfeld and Jaclyn Smrecek 8-3 in the third match.

It was in singles play where Claremont (20-3) made its stand, earning victories in the Nos. 2-5 matches. The Athenas clinched the victory with a come-from-behind win in the third-seeded match when Dobbert rallied after losing the first set to defeat Boyer 1-6, 6-1, 6-3.

Two of the top three players in the West, Lewis and Kristin Lim split the first two sets in the top-seeded match. Lim led 2-0 in the rubber set when the match was decided. In the sixth-seeded match, Ford was on her way to a team-leading 18th singles win, leading 7-6(4), 5-3.

by Doug Aiken
Sports Information Director

Match Results:

Doubles
#1:  Kristin Lim/Crystal Lim (CMS) def. Liz Lewis /Kelley Fox (CU) 8-3
#2:  Melissa Boyer/Gena Ford (CU) def. Chloe Dobbert/Jessie Huang (CMS) 8-4
#3:  Kelley Klebenow/Danielle Kaiden (CU) def. Hannah Kornfeld/Jaclyn Smrecek (CMS) 8-3

Singles
#1:  K. Lim (CMS) led Lewis (CU) 4-6, 6-1, 2-0
#2:  C. Lim (CMS) def. Fox (CU) 6-0, 6-4
#3:  Dobbert (CMS) def. Boyer (CU) 1-6, 6-1, 6-3
#4:  Huang (CMS) def. Klebenow (CU) 6-2, 6-3
#5:  Smercek (CMS) def. Kaiden (CU) 6-2, 6-3
#6:  Ford (CU) led Kornfeld (CMS) 7-6 (4), 5-3
Order of Finish:  Doubles:  1, 3, 2; Singles: 2, 5, 4, 3