KANSAS CITY, Mo. - William Woods saw solid performances from the top to bottom of the lineup at the 2024 ITA NAIA National Team Indoor Championship, posting a 1-2 overall record to finish sixth in the event. After a 4-0 loss to eventual champion Georgia Gwinnett on Friday, the Owls bounced back to defeat Ave Maria University 4-1 on Saturday and took St. Thomas University to the brink in a nearly four-hour match on Sunday, ultimately dropping a 4-3 result.
"These student-athletes represented William Wood so well this weekend," said head coach
Chance Joost. "The heart, the passion, the respect for the game, officials and opponents were on full display, and I couldn't be more proud and grateful to be their coach. Earning the biggest upset in program history is a great way to start off the season."
Friday's opener against top-seeded Georgia Gwinnett saw a quick change of momentum turn against Woods, on a double-fault in the one doubles match. Tied 30-30 in the game and 4-4 in the set, WWU gave up a point to the Bulldogs on a service fault, and GGC scored a break point to take game five and four straight points to claim a 6-4 win at the one line.
After wrapping up the doubles point with a 6-1 win at the three line, Georgia Gwinnett continued its hot streak and the Owls weren't able to recover.
Woods rebounded with vigor on Saturday, earning a 4-1 win over no. 5 seed Ave Maria University, who entered the tournament rated sixth in the NAIA Coaches Top 25.
The Owls won the doubles point with a 6-4 win at the two line as
Lena Greefs and
Marcelina Kotylak knocked off Lauren Berns and Regina Ruiz along with a 6-1 win from
Kristina Dimitrijevic and
Sophia Hausner over Nicolle Netto Koop and Danna Nunez.
"I'm extremely proud of the girls earning a top-10 win," added Joost. "This is the first win over a top-10 team in several years, and a first for many of these players. With this many freshmen, it's an impressive statement. There isn't a more deserving group of young women."
Greefs (7-5, 7-5) and Dimitrijevic (6-3, 4-6, 6-2) gave the Owls a 3-0 lead with wins at the four and five singles lines respectively over Ruiz and Netto Koop, before Clara Penido kept the Gyrenes alive with a 6-3, 6-0 win over
Marta Calvo Larraz at two singles.
Hanna Lindeboom wrapped up the match for Woods with a big tiebreak win at the one line, holding off a late charge by Vitoria Barandas for a 7-5, 7-6(7-5) win.
In Sunday's fifth-place match, two of the three doubles matches were decided quickly, with St. Thomas and WWU each earning a win. Dimitrijevic and Hausner cruised to a 6-1 lead over Sofia Nardone and Lauren Seeman at the three line, while Greefs and Kotylak dropped a 6-3 contest against Isabella Ciancaglini and Nataliya Slipchenko.
The battle at the one doubles was marked by huge momentum swings, with St. Thomas ultimately able to claim the match win and the point. Lindeboom and Calvo Larraz jumped out to a 3-1 match lead and a 30-15 lead in the fifth, but Lauren Fullerton and Alicia Andres Rodriguez scored seven straight points to tie the match at 3-3.
The Bobcat pairing managed to extend to a 5-3 lead before Woods could answer with a seven-point run and 13-of-16 point streak to take a 6-5(15-0) lead. Unfortunately, STU scored 11 of the next 12 points to tie the match and win the tiebreak.
With the court layout at OPRC leaving the six singles match without an opening, Kotylak was left watching on the sideline as quick finishes at the one through four lines saw the Owls split points, trailing 3-2 before she was able to start.
The freshman blasted out of the gates, breaking Nardone's serve twice in the first set and holding a 5-3 break point advantage overall in her 6-1, 6-4 win.
Unfortunately for the Owls, Dimitrijevic wasn't able to finish off the comeback at the five singles, dropping a 5-7, 6-4, 3-6 result to Carlota Costa Manero.
Woods is off for three weeks before hitting the road to take on NCAA Division II Rockhurst. The match is set for a 3 p.m. start at the Northland Racquet Club in North Kansas City, Mo.
