The Yellow Jacket women's tennis team reclaimed the Mountain East Conference tournament champion title Sunday afternoon with a thrilling, come-from-behind, 5-2 win over the University of Charleston.
WVSU had dominated both the regular and postseason for a four year period from 2012 through 2015 winning both the regular season and tournament crowns each of those seasons.
But last year Charleston ended what had reached a 51-match winning streak against conference opponents by beating the Yellow Jackets 5-4 in the tournament final.
Avenging that one blemish on their recent record became the goal for this season's Jackets.
After fighting their way to an undefeated regular season that included tight 5-4 wins at Charleston and West Liberty the Jackets narrowly escaped with a 5-4 win against West Virginia Wesleyan in Saturday's semifinal match to set up a tournament final rematch.
The Golden Eagles came out determined to defend their title and took a 2-1 lead after doubles play to reverse the doubles score from the regular season match. The WVSU third doubles team of junior Kayla McKnight and freshman Nika Tadic recovered from a 5-2 deficit to take an 8-5 win to get the Jackets on the scoreboard and keep them in the match.
During the 10-minute break before singles play the Yellow Jackets gathered themselves and put together their best singles performance of the season.
One by one WVSU players rolled to victory.
Mountain East Player of the Year Laura Isbey was the first off the court with a 6-1, 6-1 win at number one singles. Tadic followed with a 6-1, 6-0 victory at sixth singles. Sophomore Kierstin Hensley then captured a tough 6-4, 6-3 win at second singles after falling behind 4-2 in the opening set.
Nina Dillwald at third and Lindsay Goff at fourth singles both split their first two sets and were beginning their third sets when McKnight, playing fifth singles, wrapped up her match by a final of 6-3, 6-3 to get the crown back.
"This was easily the toughest season we have had in years as far as close matches," WVSU Head Coach John Simms said. "We only have one senior on the team but this young group simply found a way to win day after day."
The Yellow Jackets finish the conference season with a perfect 10-0 mark and have earned teh MEC automatic bid into the NCAA tournament scheduled for late April. It will be the 11th straight appearance for the program.
"The players worked harder this year than any in the past and achieved everything they set out to do," Simms said. "I could not be prouder of them."
To see photos from the finals click here.
#1 West Virginia State 5, #2 Charleston 2
Doubles
#1 Swann/Gegeshidze (UC) def. Hensley/Dillwald (WVSU), 8-6
#2 Edwards/Slusarciuc (UC) def. Isbey/Miller (WVSU), 8-5
#3 McKnight/Tadic (WVSU) def. Uttenhove/Dillon (UC), 8-5
Singles
#1 Laura Isbey (WVSU) def. Katie Swann (UC), 6-1, 6-1
#2 Kierstin Hensley (WVSU) def. Kristine Gegeshidze (UC), 6-4, 6-3
#3 DNF
#4 DNF
#5 Kayla McKnight (WVSU) def. Allize Uttenhove (UC), 6-3, 6-3
#6 Nika Tadic (WVSU) def. Bridget Dillon (UC), 6-1, 6-0
