• Box Score

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The No. 3-seeded West Virginia State women's tennis team defeated No. 2-seeded West Liberty by a final score of 4-2 in the semifinals of the MEC Championship on Saturday afternoon at the Charleston Tennis Club. State will go up against No. 1-seeded Charleston tomorrow for a rematch of last year's MEC Championship finals.

The Yellow Jackets avenged a narrow 4-3 defeat to West Liberty late in the regular season to keep their streak alive of playing in the finals of every MEC Championship since the league was founded in 2013. They have won 5-of-8 tournament finals with UC winning the other three.

WVSU started off the semifinals match with the Hilltoppers by promptly winning the doubles point. Amanda Menendez Thomasson and Tuva Wallin won at No. 1 doubles, 6-4, while Julia Daszkiewicz and Maya Haidari won at No. 2 doubles, 6-3. The No. 3 doubles match did not finish after the doubles point was decided.

West Liberty evened the score quickly after winning at No. 2 singles. Wallin then put State back in front, 2-1, by claiming the point at No. 1 singles (6-1, 6-3) with relative ease. Chante Malo was next to finish off her opponent at No. 4 singles (6-3, 6-2) and left her team needing just one more point to clinch the match, 3-1.

The Hilltoppers picked up the next point by winning in a third set at No. 5 singles, 3-2. The No. 3 and No. 6 singles matches remained with both going to third sets.

In the No. 3 singles match, Menendez Thomasson was edged in the first set, 6-7, before she roared back to take the second set convincingly, 6-2. She then went down 3-1 in the third set before coming back to win it, 6-4, and clinch the match for her team.

State will meet Charleston in the finals of the MEC Championship tomorrow at noon. The match will be played at Schoenbaum Tennis Courts unless weather conditions move it indoors to Charleston Tennis Club.