CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Senior Kayla Pukys earned the clinching point as the No. 12 Kenyon women's tennis team moved into the NCAA Tournament semifinal round after a 5-2 win over No. 15 University of Mary Washington on Monday, May 24, at Champions Tennis Club.
The victory not only pushed Kenyon into its first semifinal appearance since 1998, it moved the team's overall record to 11-0 for just the second time since joining the NCAC in 1984-85.
Doubles play was highlighted by a comeback win at No. 3 from Pukys and Eleni Dakos as Kenyon took a 2-1 match lead.
At the third flight, Kenyon's duo was down 5-2 before a double-flip against Hana Kimmey and Olivia Moore brought the tally to 5-4, Eagles. After that, Pukys and Dakos won four of the next five games to prevail 8-6.
Kenyon's second match point came from Ilana Blackwood and Victoria Vasquez. In another tight match, the Ladies' No. 2 team was leading 5-4 over Claire Coleman and Amanda Hagino before an 8-5 win doubled the team's match advantage. For Blackwood and Vasquez, it was their team-high seventh doubles win this season.
The Eagles (14-3) did get on the board in the final match at one. Down 7-4, Abby Moghtader and Lauren Quinn rallied to win in tiebreaker fashion, 8-7 (8-6), for Mary Washington's lone doubles point.
Once in singles, Kenyon shot ahead 4-1.
At No. 2, Daria Beshentseva cruised by Coleman by identical 6-1 scores, while Vasquez remained unbeaten (9-0) with a straight-sets win against Quinn 6-3, 6-1 at the third flight.
Rachel Cooper followed for the Eagles, winning 6-3, 6-4 at six to bring the tally to 4-2. Just a while later, however, Pukys came through for the unbeaten Ladies.
The Louisville, Ohio, native dropped the first set to Hagino 6-1 but got in gear after that. Pukys won 6-4 in the second and then blanked a tired and cramping Hagino in the third.
McMahon lands on All-NCAC squad
Kenyon softball player Clare McMahon earned a spot on the All-North Coast Athletic Conference East Division team on May 18.
The junior outfielder tied for the team lead with 15 hits, was second with a .288 average and finished 14th in the NCAC with seven doubles. She also ranked in the top 20 in the league with a .519 slugging percentage.
During the shortened season, the Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, native collected hits in 10 of 18 games including a 4-for-5 performance against Allegheny College on April 23. In that game, McMahon recorded a double, a triple, a home run and five RBIs, which was one off tying the Kenyon single-game record.
Defensively, McMahon produced 19 putouts in 21 chances playing mainly in right field for the Ladies.
