INDIANAPOLIS — The trail of upsets just got longer.
On Saturday at the UIndy Tennis Center, the Bellarmine University women's tennis team delivered yet another sweet surprise, defeating Missouri-St. Louis 4-2 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament semifinals.
As a result of Bellarmine's second straight upset, the Knights will be making their first-ever appearance in the conference finals. Bellarmine (13-8) will meet sixth-ranked and undefeated Indianapolis (20-0), the East's top seed and a 4-0 semifinals winner over Illinois Springfield.
The Knights and Greyhounds will square off at 11 a.m. (ET) Sunday in the championship match at Center Grove High School in Greenwood, Indiana. UIndy won the regular-season match 7-0.
However, Bellarmine proved against Missouri-St. Louis that a regular-season result doesn't always predict success in the postseason. The Tritons defeated the visiting Knights 4-3 on March 27.
In the GLVC Tournament, UMSL (9-6) became Bellarmine's latest upset victim. The Knights opened the tourney by defeating reigning champion and 21st-ranked Drury 4-3 in the quarterfinals. Bellarmine was the East's four-seed and the Panthers were the West's top seed. The Knights followed by ousting the Tritons, the West's three-seed. In doing so, they are the first four-seed in tournament history to advance to the title match.
Bellarmine snagged the doubles point by winning at Nos. 1 and 3. Senior
Maggie Walroth and junior
Ashley Jonathan beat Marina Prediger and Leticia Lunge 6-4 at No. 1, while sophomore
Aubrey Smith and freshman
Madison Devillez downed Bianca Buie and Clara Lopez Bueno 6-1 at No. 3.
From there, Bellarmine would need three singles victories to secure a berth in the finals. Missouri-St. Louis briefly took the lead at 2-1 after winning at Nos. 3 and 1, but Jonathan knotted it up at 2 by rallying to defeat Salome Bleuler 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 at No. 2.
Devillez swung the lead in Bellarmine's favor at 3-2 after a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Bueno at No. 6. Sophomore
Ava Ratcliff officially punched the Knights' ticket to the title match with a clutch 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 triumph over Buie at No. 4.
"Winning the doubles point was huge," Knights Coach
John Mican said. "Ashley's three-set win showed her grit and determination. Madison was super solid in singles and her and Aubrey were all business in doubles. Ava clinched it. Again, an assist goes to our friends and family who made the trip to Indianapolis. I'm so proud of these young women and the way they support each other and the way these Knights battle to the end."
For more coverage of Bellarmine athletics, follow us on Twitter (@BUKnights), Instagram (BUKnights), Facebook (BUKnights) and the BUKnights mobile app available for iPhone and Android.
