After picking up wins in the South Central Regionals, top-seeded St. Mary’s and second-seeded Cameron punched their tickets to the 2022 NCAA Division II Women’s Tennis Championship finals in Altamonte Springs, Florida.

    The Rattlers bested No. 4 Midwestern State 4-1 in San Antonio on Friday, May 7, marking the second time StMU has held MSU to a single point this season. Seniors Ashley Penshorn and Alice Thane claimed an early victory at No. 2 doubles, followed by a 6-3 win by Gabi Ioannou and Marina Vigil at No. 3 doubles to seal the point for the Rattlers.

    After a pair of straight-set victories by Maria Garcia and Ioannou, Thane secured the match-clinching point for StMU with a straight-set win (7-5, 6-2) at No. 6 singles.

    In Cameron’s match against conference foe Angelo State, the Aggies avenged their lone regular-season loss in league play with a 4-1 win over the Rambelles. Karolina Glowinska and Vasilisa Polunova claimed a 6-4 victory at No. 2 doubles, while Kateryna Rudenko and Lea Manga wrapped up a quick 6-1 win at No. 3 doubles to give CU the overall point.

    In singles, Anastasia Uspenskaia earned a straight-set victory on court two (6-4, 6-2) to double the Aggie lead. Manga followed with a three-set win on court three to put CU within a point of the team win, which Rudenko earned with a tough 7-5, 7-6 (7-4) straight-set win at No. 4 singles.

    Both teams will advance to the Division II Women’s Tennis Championship in Altamonte Springs, Florida, May 17-21. StMU earned the No. 9 national seed and will face eighth-seeded Flagler on May 17 at 11 a.m. CT. CU is the No. 11 seed in the championship and will face Columbus State on May 17 at 3 p.m. CT.