ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Was this going to be the year? For the third straight season, No. 3 University of Chicago saw themselves in the national championship match but hoped to reverse their fortunes and not leave empty handed once again when they took on the other semifinalist in No. 4 Wesleyan. The Maroons grabbed two points in doubles and withstood a rollercoaster of momentum in several solo games to finally walk away with the most important accolade of them all in the title of national champion.
RESULT
No. 4 Wesleyan – 3
No. 3 UChicago – 5
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Pairs Play: Doubles play was breezing right along for No. 3 University of Chicago (23-1) and it seemed like all three sets would be over quickly. However, Wesleyan (22-1) earned their spot to be in the national title conversation as well and battled back in each of the contests. The Maroons were able to fend off a furious Cardinals charge at number one 8-6 and were also able to secure the second pairs match with a score of 8-5. Unfortunately, Wesleyan was able to edge out the Maroons in the final slot and took the ballgame 8-7 after a tiebreak didn't go UChicago's way. They were still in a good spot though and entered singles up 2-1.
- Coach Perspective: "I think it goes without saying that getting two points on the board prior to singles is massive. In our previous two finals, we were down 2-1 both times and it just makes a tough task a little tougher. Even though we knew from our semifinal match that we had the singles players to get us four points, three felt really doable." – Head coach Jay Tee
- Singles Play: Needing just three match points to win their first title, Lin made it 3-1 with an extremely efficient 6-2, 6-2 win in the top spot during a game that lasted just over an hour. However, that's also when the Cardinals started their comeback. The next two points were won by Wesleyan, allowing them to draw even with victories at numbers four and five. With the first to five essentially moving to a best two out of three format, Biria battled hard to grab the momentum back in her sixth slot match and won with scores of 6-1, 2-6, 6-4. Vesely and Mikos also went on a roll and just under two and a half hours after solo play started, the Maroons were declared national champions when the elder Mikos dominated the third set in second singles with a 6-1, 6-7 [1-7], 6-0 victory.
- No. 1 Singles: Rena Lin defeats Ferrante 6-2, 6-2
- No. 2 Singles: Sylwia Mikos defeats Youngberg 6-1, 6-7 [1-7], 6-0
- No. 4 Singles: Brooke Pedersen falls to Soloveychik 3-6, 2-6
- No. 5 Singles: Shianna Guo falls to Durkin 3-6, 6-7 [6-8]
- No. 6 Singles: Sarena Biria defeats Mohsen-Breen 6-1, 2-6, 6-4
- Coach Perspective: "For a few minutes there it looked like we might be able to wrap up the win pretty quickly, but Wesleyan just didn't go away. We got a little tentative and were maybe a little guilty of looking around at the scoreboard and Wesleyan capitalized. Sarena fighting back from 5-4 30-40 to get us our 4th was the turning point. I think from that point on both sides kind of knew what was coming next." – Head coach Jay Tee
- Player Perspective: "I was definitely in a 'final stretch' mindset [when Serena won at sixth singles]. There was considerable pressure, but I saw it as something to embrace. I knew that Nika and I both were poised to win our matches; it was just a question of how long it would take. I was prepared to battle and stay on the court for as long as necessary. Holding a 40-0 lead in the game, I felt in control. I told myself to keep my composure and play just one more solid point. I avoided rushing, confident that if I stayed patient, the right opportunity to win the game would present itself." – junior Sylwia Mikos
CHICAGO COMMENTS
- "Our motto that we kept repeating this week was 'What is delayed is not denied: keep the faith,' which is the story of our season, and also our program's history dating back to 2008, before I even started at UChicago. Those teams in the early 2000s put the program on the map and showed us what could be possible here. They got close in 2012 and we were close again in 2022 and 2023, but it wasn't our turn. It feels good to get this one for all the former players and coaches who built the foundation that this championship was won on. We're fortunate to have so much great support from our alumni, parents, administrators, and university leadership who we felt behind us today. We're proud to be UChicago Maroons and we share this with all of you." – Head coach Jay Tee
- "We really soaked up the moment on the court after winning, taking way too many photos to count. It felt unreal, yet deep down we knew we could pull it off. There was so much to take in, so much to enjoy. After coming close in the previous two years, this victory feels especially rewarding. Our coaches, Jay Tee and Matt Brisotti, along with our medical trainer, Mary Wisniewski, have been tremendously supportive throughout this season and the past two years. They continuously reassured us of our abilities to compete at this high level, instilling confidence that our time would come. This win is a testament not only to our efforts this year but also to the strong foundation laid by the previous teams and seniors. The overwhelming support from spectators, including Angie Torain, our Director of Athletics, and Erienne Roberts, Deputy Athletic Director for Internal Operations, along with all the parents and fans, made our victory even more memorable. The entire University of Chicago community has been behind us, setting us up for the success we had this season. Just an incredible experience all around." – junior Sylwia Mikos
WHO'S ON DECK
The win wraps up the Maroons 2023-24 team season. They can now look forward to entering the 2024-25 campaign as the defending champions and will look to repeat their performance next May in Claremont, Calif. However, the Maroons qualified several players for the NCAA individual championships which on Saturday and will give them a chance to bring even more hardware back to Chicago.
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