GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Guilford College women's tennis team (10-6, 6-4 ODAC) is back in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Tournament for the second consecutive year, earning the No. 5 seed after another standout campaign under head coach
Kim Kleimeier '13. The Quakers will travel to Sweet Briar, Virginia, to face the fourth-seeded University of Lynchburg Hornets (10-5, 6-4 ODAC) in the Quarterfinals on Thursday, April 30th.
This matchup serves as a highly anticipated rematch of an April 18th clash where the Quakers narrowly fell to the Hornets, 4-3. In that meeting, Guilford showcased its strength early by clinching the doubles point.
Carolina Dirk (Port Aransas, TX) and
Erika Mendez (Asheville, N.C.) delivered a gritty 6-4 win at the top flight, as the duo of
McKenna Merritt (Dobson, N.C.) and
Brooke Tsuei (Summerfield, N.C.) secured the point with a 6-4 victory at the No. 3 spot. While Dirk and
Ashley Belnap (Winston-Salem, N.C.) added singles wins to the tally, Lynchburg ultimately edged out the victory.
The Quakers enter the postseason with a track-record of dominance out on the courts, as Dirk has put together one of the most impressive seasons in program history. Undefeated at 15-0 in singles play, Dirk is only the second player in Guilford history (and the first in the Division III era) to finish the regular season unbeaten. A three-time ODAC Player of the Week, Dirk also anchors the Quakers' top doubles team alongside Mendez. The pair has posted a 15-1 record and earned ODAC Doubles Team of the Week honors twice this spring.
Beyond the top flight, pairings such as Merritt and Tsuei, as well as Belnap and
Chandler Sizemore (Sandy Ridge, N.C.), have proven lethal in doubles play. In singles, the Quakers have leaned on consistent contributions across the ladder, including strong play from
Zara Goolsby (Greensboro, N.C.) and
LaNiya Ward (Pittsburgh, Pa.).
Lynchburg is led by Isadora Lima, who holds an 8-7 record at the No. 1 singles position. Lima also teams up with Kayla Kosiorek at the top doubles spot, where they have played to an 8-7 mark. Other key players include Giovana Gaboardi, who typically competes at No. 3 singles, and Ashley Hair, who usually takes the No. 4 position.
Stats Comparison
| Stats |
No. 4 Lynchburg |
No. 5 Guilford |
| Record (Overall) |
10-5 |
10-6 |
| Record (ODAC) |
6-4 |
6-4 |
| Top Singles Player |
Isadora Lima (8-7) |
Carolina Dirk (15-0) |
| Top Doubles Team |
Lima & Kosiorek (8-7) |
Dirk & Mendez (15-1) |
"Our team has had a strong season and we're excited to face off against Lynchburg on Thursday," said Head Coach Kim Kleimeier. "Women's tennis in the ODAC is very competitive and it just shows that you can have high-level competition even in Division III. We're proud to be a part of the growth and development."
If the Quakers can flip the result of their previous meeting with the Hornets and pull off the road upset, they will advance to the ODAC Semifinals hosted at Washington & Lee University. A win would set up a Saturday showdown at 1:30 p.m. against the victor of No. 1 Washington & Lee and No. 8 Randolph.
#GoQuakes
