DENVER – MSU Denver's women's tennis team will be going for its third consecutive conference tournament title at the two-day Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Women's Tennis Tournament on Friday at Colorado Mesa's Elliott Tennis Center in Grand Junction, Colo.
The No. 1 seed Roadrunners will take on No. 4 seed CSU-Pueblo on Friday at 9:30 a.m. in the first semifinal match.
"I hope that we go in there, and we don't try and change too much," Metropolitan State University of Denver coach
Josh Graetz said. "We've had a successful tail-end to the season, so I think that should give the girls a lot of confidence going into (the) conference (tournament) that we're playing our best tennis right now. In terms of what I'm looking for, I just think we're going in there with a purpose and the right focus and intent is going to be really important."
MSU Denver enters the RMAC Tournament with its third straight regular-season title after going 12-9 overall and 3-0 in conference play.
If MSU Denver advances, it will play the winner of No. 2 seed Dixie State (11-4, 2-1) and No. 3 seed Colorado Mesa (7-16, 1-2) in the championship match. That match is scheduled for Saturday at 10:30 a.m.
Friday's match will mark the Roadrunners' second match against the ThunderWolves in four days. MSU Denver dominated CSU-Pueblo in Tuesday's away match, 7-0.
MSU Denver's
Tabitha Porter was named the RMAC player of the year for the second time in three seasons on Thursday.
Helena Steenberg was named the co-freshman of the year. They were joined as first-team All-RMAC singles selections by
Alex Pessoa, last year's league player of the year.
Meanwhile,
Mackenzie Hotan has won her last five singles matches. However, she earned her Tuesday triumphs in dominating fashion. She teamed up with
Olivia Kaiser to defeat their No. 2 doubles opponents, 6-0, and then won her No. 5 singles match 6-0, 6-0 to earn RMAC player of the week.
Hotan has proven to be reliable in doubles. She has won her last six matches in No. 2 doubles, including the first five with Porter. Their most decisive win came in a 6-0 victory against CSU-Pueblo on April 3.
Consistency is key for Steenberg, who has won her last eight singles matches. While she was tested in No. 2 singles on Tuesday, Steenberg battled back from a first-set defeat and emerged with an enduring 4-6, 6-4, 14-12 win.
Porter goes into the RMAC Tournament with 17 singles wins, the second-highest total among Roadrunners. The No. 46-ranked player in NCAA Division II, Porter has won her last three matches at No. 1 singles. Her most dominating performance in that stretch occurred against CSU-Pueblo when she outscored her opponent, 6-1, 6-2, on April 3.
Kaiser's singles play has been impressive as she has prevailed as the victor in three of her last four matches. She had a three-set thriller at No. 4 singles during her dual match against Colorado Mesa on April 5 in which she won by a final tally of 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.
Eliza McKean has won her last four singles matches, starting with three straight at No. 5 singles and ending with one at No. 3 singles. She had a very one-sided triumph against her CSU-Pueblo No. 5 singles foe on April 3, winning 6-0 in straight sets.
She additionally partnered with
Ainsley Winterrowd in No. 2 doubles in her most recent match.
Winterrowd's singles play has yielded four straight wins.
Pessoa has recently won two straight No. 1 singles matches.
Pessoa and Steenberg have a 5-3 record together at No. 1 doubles through the past eight matches.
As the aforementioned results show, one aspect of the Roadrunners' recent performances that has pleased Graetz is that everyone has contributed in some form or another.
"I think the greatest thing about our women's team these last few weeks is it hasn't been up to one person; it's really been a team effort," Graetz said. "I don't think everyone's played their best every single match, but every girl has come out and played their role, which is important, and I think that's what makes a great team when it can be a team effort out there (and) not up to certain individuals to win matches."
Though two matches stand between the Roadrunners and a third RMAC Tournament title in as many years, Graetz is keeping his and his team's mindset on just Friday's semifinal with the ThunderWolves.
"You try not to look too much into that (winning a third straight RMAC Tournament title)," Graetz said. "But, I think the previous success we've had in the conference … should give the girls a lot of confidence moving into this weekend."
