INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The West Liberty University women’s tennis team is going back to the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Tournament.
Coach Heather Gallagher’s Hilltoppers were announced Tuesday night as the No. 5 seed in the region and will open Atlantic Region play Friday at 10 a.m. against No. 4 seed Slippery Rock (Pa.) in an Atlantic Region semifinal at the Maple Street Courts in Indiana, Pa.
The winner of that match advances to Saturday’s regional final against host and No. 1 seed Indiana (Pa.) to play for one of the 16 spots in the NCAA Division II Nationals, set for May 17-21 in Altamonte Springs, Fla.
The Hilltoppers and The Rock are no strangers to NCAA Tournament competition. This is West Liberty’s 16th NCAA Tournament venture since joining the NCAA in the mid-1990s while Slippery Rock is making its 13th NCAA appearance in the past 16 seasons.
The Black and Gold were co-champions in the MEC this season, sharing the title with Charleston and West Virginia State, but lost to West Virginia State in an MEC Tournament semifinal.
Slippery Rock’s only conference loss during the regular season was a 6-1 setback against IUP. The Rock earned a rematch with the Crimson Hawks in last week’s PSAC Tournament championship game but came out on the short end of a 4-1 tally.
WOMEN’S TENNIS
Atlantic Region I
(at Indiana, Pa.)
Friday, May 6
Semifinal
No. 4 Slippery Rock (12-5) vs. No. 5 WEST LIBERTY (8-5), 10 a.m.
Saturday, May 7
Championship
WEST LIBERTY/Slippery Rock winner vs. No. 1 Indiana, Pa. (13-4)