Women’s Tennis Sees Its Incredible Run End With a 4-0 “Sweet 16” Loss to No. 6 Indianapolis

Women's Tennis | 5/22/2019 12:00:00 AM

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Goldey-Beacom enjoyed one of the most successful runs of any team in the College's history and that run ended with a 4-0 loss to sixth-ranked Indianapolis in the "Sweet 16" of the NCAA Tournament in Altamonte Springs, FL.

As has been the case with the program in years past, the Lightning (16-5, 7-1 CACC) this season were a strong unit that had an undeniable bond both on and off the court. That bond held together through thick and thin, resulting in the team's eighth trip to the NCAA Tournament and a share of a third straight Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference regular-season title.

This marks the furthest a GBC team has gone in an NCAA sponsored event. The 2005-06 Golf team, just inducted into the College's Athletics Hall of Fame, ended 20th at the 20-team NCAA Championship.

This run for women's tennis equals the longest for a Goldey-Beacom team at a national championship. The 2002 Men's Soccer team went to the "Sweet 16" of the NAIA Tournament.

The women's tennis unit also has won 24 of its last 25 regular-season league matches and extended its run of making the conference semifinals to 11 straight seasons.

A major reason for Goldey-Beacom's success this season occurred April 2 when the squad recorded a huge 5-2 upset of New York Tech, then No. 35 in the nation and tops in the region. GBC also topped Wilmington (ranked fifth in the East) and the District of Columbia (ranked seventh in the East) in the regular season.

GBC ends the spring 8-3 with just two losses coming to Division II opposition. Among those victories included a 4-0 first-round NCAA victory over CACC-foe Concordia (NY) and a 4-0 second-round triumph at Stonehill.

Unlike the first two rounds, today's third-round tie was a bumpy ride as GBC opened by dropping the doubles point for just the sixth time this season.

The highly anticipated No. 1 doubles match with 13th-ranked Lotte Lesscher y Post (Arnhem, Netherlands) and Catarina Zheng (Oporto, Portugal) from GBC pitted against No. 6 Nikol Alexeeva and Anya Novikova from UIndy started well for the Lightning. GBC broke serve in the first game, but it was downhill from there in a 6-1 setback.

Lesscher y Post and Zheng still end a great run this season with 21 doubles victories, the most of one tandem in school history.

GBC also ran into nationally ranked foes in singles. No. 19 Hanna Volikova got a 6-0, 6-1 win at first singles over Lesscher y Post with No. 10 Nikol Alexeeva recording a 6-1, 6-1 triumph at No. 2 singles against Zheng.

The second-seeded Greyhounds (23-0) notched their 16th shutout of the season and 11th straight.

It also marks the last match for head coach Joe Kissel, who is retiring at the end of the season. Kissel has recorded all 148 of the team's victories during his 13 years. He is responsible for both CACC titles and all eight NCAA Tournament appearances. GBC, so far, achieved its highest national ranking in 2015 when the squad finished 31st in the nation.

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Players Mentioned

Lotte Lesscher y Post: 5' 8"; Sophomore

Catarina Zheng: 5' 6"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Lotte Lesscher y Post
: 5' 8"; Sophomore

Catarina Zheng
: 5' 6"; Sophomore