ST. PETER, Minn. – The Carleton College women's tennis team is headed back to the NCAA Championships for the eighth time in program history! The No. 2 seeded Knights took down top seed and No. 37-ranked Gustavus Adolphus College by a 5-1 margin in the finals of the MIAC Playoffs. This marked the eighth time since 2007 that these programs met in the title match of the conference tournament.
 
"Everyone competed well today," said Carleton head coach Luciano Battaglini. "It was a hard-fought win and another important title to our program!"
 
The Knights (15-1) avenged their only previous loss this season, a 5-4 defeat at the hands of the Gustavus (19-7) back on April 16.
 
The Knights' lineup today featured only one senior, Taylor Thulson (Sr./Louisville, Colo./Niwot), who makes up half of the third doubles duo. The rest of the Carleton players to see action on Saturday included one sophomore, Mary Frances Hose (So./Columbia, Mo./Rock Bridge), and six first-years. In contrast, the Gustavus lineup featured five seniors, a junior, and a sophomore.
 
Despite the difference in experience, the spotlight was not too bright for the young Knights as they got off to a great start by sweeping the three doubles matches.  
 
Hose and Amelia Asfaw (Fy./Seattle, Wash./Seattle Prep), the No. 6-ranked tandem in the Central Region, once again got the best of the regionally-ranked pairing of Simona Potockova and Yuki Oda. This time the result was 8-1 in favor of the Carleton duo.
 
Rookies Mariam Nechiporuk (Fy./Portland, Ore./Lake Oswego) and Ingrid Smith (Fy./Edina, Minn./Edina) improved to 8-0 on the year after posting an 8-5 triumph at No. 2 doubles.
 
Thulson and Amanda Black (Fy./Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville) gave Carleton a 3-0 lead in the best-of-nine match with their 8-6 victory at No. 3 singles.
 
The 3-0 doubles sweep matched what Carleton accomplished against Gustavus three week ago. This time, the Knights were able to withstand the Gusties' comeback attempt in singles.
 
Hose, ranked No. 9 in the region, edged Carleton closer to the team victory with her 6-4, 6-0 win over No. 8-ranked Simona Potockova atop the singles lineup.
 
Gustavus got its first team point when Sydney Douglas rallied from a set down to win at No. 4 singles 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.
 
Nechiporuk dropped the opening set at No. 3 singles but came back to win her match and clinch the Knights' victory by a 3-6, 6-0, 6-4 tally.
 
The three unfinished singles matches were all in the third set when play was stopped. Asfaw led 4-6, 6-4, 2-1 at No. 2 singles, while Miriam Shteyman's (Fy./Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata) No. 5 singles match was all level at 7-5, 5-7. Piper Brown (Fy./Mt. Pleasant, S.C./Porter-Gaud) rallied to force a third set at No. 6 singles, with the scoreboard reading 4-6, 6-2, 1-2 when Nechiporuk secured the win.
 
Carleton previously played in the NCAA Championships in 1995, 1996, 2005, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2019. The Knights won the MIAC Playoffs in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2019, and 2022.
 
Up Next for the Knights
The full 49-team field for the NCAA Division III Women's Tennis Championships will be posted on NCAA.com by 12:00 p.m. ET/11:00 a.m. CT on Monday, May 9. The first, second, and third-round matches will take place between Thursday, May 12 and Sunday 15, depending on the teams involved and facility access.
 
Carleton College 5, #37 Gustavus Adolphus 1
Singles competition
1. Mary Frances Hose (CAR) def. Simona Potockova (GACW) 6-4, 6-0
2. Amelia Asfaw (CAR) vs. Anna Stutz (GACW) 4-6, 6-2, 2-1, unfinished
3. Mariam Nechiporuk (CAR) def. Yuki Oda (GACW) 3-6, 6-0, 6-4
4. Sydney Douglas (GACW) def. Ingrid Smith (CAR) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
5. Miriam Shteyman (CAR) vs. Alli Laux (GACW) 7-5, 5-7, unfinished
6. Piper Brown (CAR) vs. Rachel Lindrud (GACW) 4-6, 6-2, 1-2, unfinished
 
Doubles competition
1. Mary Frances Hose/Amelia Asfaw (CAR) def. Simona Potockova/Yuki Oda (GACW) 8-1
2. Mariam Nechiporuk/Ingrid Smith (CAR) def. Anna Stutz/Sydney Douglas (GACW) 8-3
3. Taylor Thulson/Amanda Black (CAR) def. Rachel Lindrud/Josie Carlson (GACW) 8-6