Women's Tennis | 4/28/2022 10:16:00 AM

MIAA Women's Tournament
Emporia State Hornets (7-12, 2-6 MIAA)
vs.
#54 Washburn Ichabods (13-10, 7-1 MIAA)
Friday, April 29 • 10:00 a.m. • Edmond Center Court • Edmond, Okla.
Live Stats | Complete Notes in pdf
Up Next: MIAA Semifinals
winner vs Missouri Western/Newman winner
Saturday, April 30 • 10:00 a.m. • Edmond Center Court • Edmond, Okla.

TURNPIKE TUSSLE TOURNEY TIME
The Emporia State women take on #54 Washburn in the quarterfinals of the MIAA Tournament at the Edmond Center Court Complex in Edmond, Okla.
 
LAST SETS
Emporia State fell 5-2 at Newman in the final regular season match in Wichita. Viktoria Mackova and Karen Santiago Sanchez teamed up to win 6-4 at #1 doubles for Emporia State but Newman took the wins at #2 and #3 to earn the point.  Santiago Sanchez won 5-7, 6-2, 6-0 at #2 singles while Paige Stranghoner picked up a 6-3, 7-6 (7-0) win at #3 singles for the Hornets other point. Mackova would go three sets at #5 singles while Andrea Santiago and Kelsie Burr would go to a tiebreaker in the second set of their losses.

THE COACH
Les Stafford is 18-23 with the women and 14-20 with the men in dual match play in his third year as the head coach at his alma mater. He is 196-166 in 18 years overall as a head women's coach. Stafford was the head coach of the Wichita State women from 1990-2004 and was a four-time conference coach of the year for the Shockers.  He went 178-143 four conference tournament championships and one regular season title. He spent 15 years as the head tennis pro at Crestview Country Club in Wichita. Stafford was a four-time NAIA National Tournament qualifier during his career with the Hornets. As a senior in 1981, he won the CSIC #1 singles and #1 doubles championship. Stafford ended his career by winning three doubles matches and one singles match in his final appearance at the national tournament.  

A LOOK AT THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 7-12, 2-6 in the MIAA and are the #7 seed in the MIAA Tournament. Micaela McSpadden has played 18 of 19 matches at #1 singles and is 6-12 overall with a 2-6 mark in MIAA play. Karen Santiago Sanchez is 8-10 overall with a 5-3 record in MIAA play. She went 2-0 at #2 in conference action. Victoria Mackova is 7-7 overall with a 5-5 record at #6 singles. She was 1-1 at #5 singles and 2-5 overall in MIAA play. Mackova and Santiago Sanchez are 6-11 on the season at #1 doubles with a 2-6 record in MIAA action. Anastasia Pesic and Paige Stranghoner are 6-9 overall with a 6-8 record at #2 doubles, going 2-5 in conference play. Kelsie Burr and McSpadden are 6-8 overall with a 5-7 mark at #3 doubles having gone 2-4 in the MIAA.   

ESU IN THE MIAA TOURNAMENT
This is the Hornets first trip in the MIAA Tournament since 2019, although the 2020 tournament was not played due to COVID. Emporia State's last win in the MIAA Tournament was a 5-1 victory over Central Oklahoma in 2014.

ABOUT THE ICHABODS
Washburn is 13-10, 7-1 in the MIAA and the #2 seed in the MIAA Tournament. They had won five straight before falling to Central Oklahoma 7-0 in the final match of the regular season. Marta Torress is 6-2 in MIAA play at #1 singles and 14-11 overall. Isabella Bartensson and Lara Schmid are 14-6 at #1 doubles with a 6-2 mark in MIAA action.

SERIES HISTORY
Emporia State trails the all-time series 36-21. The Ichabods lead 4-2 in MIAA Tournament play.

LAST MATCH AGAINST WASHBURN
In the final home MIAA matches of the season at the Kossover Family Tennis Complex, Emporia State fell 5-2 to #59 Washburn. The Hornet women dropped #1 and #3 doubles to give the Ichabods the first point. Kelsie Burr and Micaela McSpadden were tied at 6-6 and did not finish out the set at #2 doubles. Emporia State would get two wins in singles action. Viktoria Mackova won 4-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-8) at #5 singles and Karen Santiago Sanchez took a 7-5, 7-6 (7-4) victory at #2 singles.  Kelsie Burr would go to a third set at #6 singles before falling 6-2, 2-6, 1-0 (10-5).

NEXT SERVE
The winner will advance to the MIAA Semifinals against the winner of the dual between Missouri Western and Newman. First serve of the Semifinals is set for 10:00 a.m. on Saturday.