Marta Drane's singles win evened the match match at 2-2, triggering a Big Red sweep in singles play.

The Denison women's tennis team advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Division III women's tennis championship on Tuesday after rallying for a 5-2 victory over Emory University at the Brown Tennis Complex in St. Peter, Minn.

The Big Red were making their fourth appearance in the NCAA's quarterfinals and this marks their first women's tennis Final Four berth in school history.  Denison, who improves to 21-3, will face top-ranked Washington & Lee on Wednesday (May 14) at 2 p.m. CST for the right to play for a Division III national championship on Thursday.

The Big Red got off to a dubious start following an 8-0 defeat at first doubles and a 8-1 loss at second doubles.  It took a tie breaking 9-8 win from senior Erin Gorsich (Dover, Ohio/Dover) and sophomore Kara Zdanowski (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer) at third doubles to give Denison some life heading into singles play.

The importance of the victory by Gorsich and Zdanowski over Emory's Lorne McManigle and Sara Vrabec cannot be overstated enough.  Rallying from an 0-3 deficit in singles is not a common practice at this, or any stage of the NCAA Tournament.  The win gave Denison momentum, leading to a dominate 4-0 sweep in singles play.

Sophomore Marta Drane (Wilmington, Del./Tower Hill) kicked things off for the Big Red by evening the score at 2-2 following her 6-0, 6-3 win over Sabra Rogers.  North Coast Athletic Conference Newcomer of the Year, Kristin Cobb (Dayton, Ohio/Oakwood), followed with a straight-set win over McManigle in the second flight.

Two-time conference player of the year, Meghan Damico (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel) showed no lingering effects of her doubles loss to Tshema Nash as she knocked off the Eagles' top player, 7-5, 7-6.

In the fifth flight, it would be Zdanowski who would provide the clincher following her 6-1, 6-3 win over Leah Seyburn.  Gorsich at No. 4 and Kendra Murray (Kirkwood, Mo./Kirkwood) at No. 6 would both go unfinished in their respective matches.

Denison and Washington & Lee are not strangers on the court.  The two teams faced off on March 14 with the General coming away with a 8-1 victory.  Since that match the Big Red has rattled off 17 consecutive victories and ran their win count to 21, which is a school single-season record.  Washington & Lee has also been on a tear.  They have been the No. 1 ranked team all season and is 27-0 entering tomorrow's semifinal.

View Results