The 26th-ranked Hope College women's tennis team is seeking its fourth consecutive MIAA Tournament championship this week.
The regular-season champion Flying Dutch (18-4 overall) are the No. 1 seed for the four-team tournament. They face Saint Mary's in the semifinals on Thursday at 4 p.m. at Etheridge Tennis Center. The winner advances to Friday's final to play either second-seeded Kalamazoo or third-seeded Calvin at the site of the highest remaining seed.
The MIAA Tournament champion advances to the NCAA Division III Tournament. Hope is aiming for its 10th trip to the regional round of NCAA postseason play and fourth in a row.
Hope is 15-4 all-time during MIAA Tournament match play since the format began in 1997. The Flying Dutch have claimed four tournament titles: 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2009.
This is the first time Hope has met Saint Mary's in a postseason match. The Flying Dutch lead the all-time series by a 14-4 margin, including a 9-0 win on February 28 at DeWitt Tennis Center.
Hope is 27-16 all-time against Kalamazoo, including a 5-4 victory on April 11 at Kalamazoo. The Flying Dutch are 32-10 all-time against Calvin, including a 9-0 win on March 31 at DeWitt Tennis Center.
Hope is 5-0 all-time against Kalamazoo and 4-2 against Calvin in MIAA Tournament matches. The Flying Dutch have faced Kalamazoo in the past two tournament finals. Hope is 1-1 against Calvin in tournament finals, losing in 2010 and winning in 2009.
Hope has a combined singles record of 126-47 this season for a .728 winning percentage. Eight Flying Dutch players have double-digits victories:
Carli Capestany, 20-5
Kate Mader, 19-7
Natalie Rahrig, 16-4
Anna Garcia, 16-6
Nancy Benda, 14-8
Paige Courts, 14-3
Claire Cooper, 11-8
Amanda Susnak, 10-3
The Flying Dutch own a combined 63-23 doubles record for a .733 win percentage. Three pairings have reached double-digits:
Nancy Benda and Carli Capestany, 17-4
Claire Cooper and Kelly Daniel, 10-5
Anna Garcia and Marie Holaway, 10-4
Carli Capestany is tied for the school record for single-season doubles wins with a 24-5 record. Katherine Garcia (2009) and Julie Murray (1998) both went 24-2.
Carli Capestany has 75 career doubles wins in 104 matches, second team in Flying Dutch history. Jennifer Smith holds the record after going 76-22 between 1997-2000.
Carli Capestany's 20 singles in 25 matches is tied for 13th place in Hope's single-season history. Her 58 career singles wins in 93 matches is 11th all-time.
Head coach Adam Ford has guided Hope to a 35-10 match record the past two seasons. He led the Flying Dutch to their 22nd MIAA regular-season championship and 17th outright this spring.
