CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) sent a quartet of women’s tennis athletes to participate in the NCAA Division III Singles and Doubles Championships last week, highlighted by Trinity’s Zoe Kaffen securing ITA All-American accolades for her performance.
Kaffen defeated Sydney Clanciola of Denison University in two straight sets to claim All-American honors. The senior handily won her match by showing finesse and playing stout defense. Kaffen took set one by a score of 6-1 and won the second set by a score of 6-3.
Kaffen faced off with the no. 3 seed, Erika Eckstrand from Williams College in the second round of the tournament. Kaffen fell behind early in the first set of the match and eventually dropped set one by a score of 6-1. She senior clawed after falling behind early in the second set but ultimately fell by a score of 6-3 and was eliminated from the singles tournament after making it to the round of 16.
Southwestern’s Nina Mitrofanova also competed in the singles championship, falling in the opening round in straight-sets to top-seeded Ysabel Gonzalez-Rico of Emory. The sophomore dropped the opening set, 6-1, posting a first-serve percentage of just 58. Mitrofanova settled down in the second set, improving her first-serve percentage to 75, but ultimately dropped the second set, 6-4.
Finally, Trinity junior Megan Flores and first-year Cate Cushing made their national tournament debut, competing in the Doubles Championship.
Flores and Cushing took on Grace and Maggie Riermann of Bethel University (MN). In the National Championships for doubles, you must win two of three sets to advance. The pair of Tigers dropped a close first set by a score of 7-5. Flores and Cushing played well in the second set but lost by a score of 6-4.
