INDIANA, Pa. – The 38th-ranked IUP women's tennis team makes it return to the Division II postseason as they compete in the 2022 NCAA Division II Championship final on Saturday 7th at the Maple Street courts.
The Crimson Hawks are the No. 1 seed in the Atlantic Region and will face off against the winner of the semifinal match between West Liberty and Slippery Rock. Match time is slated for 1:30 p.m.
ITA Rankings
National Singles: Karolin Kirchtag (No. 51)
Atlantic Region Singles: Karolin Kirchtag (No. 1),
Natasha Munday (No. 3),
Katy Graydon (No. 6),
Joanna Stralka (No. 11), Idioa Huerta (No. 16),
Lydia Vlachou (No. 17)
Atlantic Region Doubles: Karolin Kirchtag /
Katy Graydon (No. 1),
Natasha Munday /
Joanna Stralka (No. 2), Idioa Huerta /
Lydia Vlachou (No. 4)
The IUP lineup
Singles (Flight, Name, Ovr .Rec./Flight Rec.)
1.
Karolin Kirchtag 29-5/11-2
2.
Joanna Stralka, 14-10/9-2
3.
Natasha Munday, 21-6/14-3
4.
Katy Graydon 18-11/12-8
5.
Lydia Vlachou, 15-6/12-3
6.
Laura Dunarova, 16-8/11-4
Doubles (Flight, Pairing, Ovr. Rec./Flight Rec.)
1. Munday/Stralka, 19-10/9-6
2. Kirchtag/Graydon, 21-8/10-4
3. Dunarova/Vlachou, 11-7/11-7
IUP in the NCAAs
>> IUP is making the program's 14th all-time NCAA tournament appearance, including 11 under head coach
Larry Peterson.
>> The Crimson Hawks made program history when they advanced to the Elite Eight in 2021.
>> The last time IUP were the No.1 seed and regional hosts was in back-to-back seasons of 2017 and 2018.
>> IUP has advanced through the regional and to the NCAA round of 16 nine times and to the quarterfinals once in 2021.
NCAA Notes
>> IUP is one of 48 teams to earn selection to the 2021 NCAA Division II Championships.
>> Those 48 teams are split up among sixteen regional sites, with the winning team from each site advancing to the finals in Orlando, Florida on May 17-21.
Notes
>> The Hawks beat Slippery Rock 4-1 in the PSAC Championship final.
>> West Liberty enter the postseason as the No. 5 seed in the region with an 11-6 record.
>> No. 4 seed Slippery Rock have a 15-7 record and it will be their first encounter with West Liberty this season.
>> IUP are 10-0 against West Liberty over the last decade and beat them during the regular season this year 6-1.
>> The Hawks went undefeated in conference and regional action and posted a 15-4 record.
