Having enjoyed arguably its most successful season in program history to this point, and playing with house money entering the Mid-South Conference Tournament, the Shawnee State women's tennis program has posted a new standard for the program to reach in future years as a result.
The Bears, who finished sixth in the Mid-South Conference regular season standings, won a program record four matches in Mid-South Conference play. Shawnee State defeated each of the three MSC newcomers to the 2020-21 slate (Bethel, Freed-Hardeman, Martin Methodist) and picked up a victory over Thomas More in the regular season finale to cap a strong year that saw several major accomplishments individually.
Hensley at the top
With an 11-0 record in women's singles for the 2020-21 season, Kierstin Hensley not only became the first player in the history of the women's tennis program to run the table during the regular season, but has already set the school record for career victories in singles competition for the year.
Counting her victories against then-ITA-NAIA ranked Alexandra Parra (Lindsey Wilson) and Brenda Aguilar (Campbellsville) in the Mid-South Conference's Preseason Invitational, Hensley sits with a 12-1 overall record counting preseason and regular season play. Her only loss was to Cumberlands (Ky.)'s Tomomi Nagno -- also in the preseason. Nagno is currently a consensus ITA-NAIA ranked talent.
Hensley and Carruthers proving for
At No. 1 doubles, Hensley, along with Claire Carruthers, have formulated a vicious tandem as the duo, when playing together, have combined to go 7-4 at the No. 1 doubles slot. That mark is tied for the most in program history by any No. 1 doubles pairing.
Following the duo, Sara Martin Reguera has proven to be a consistent threat at No. 2 singles for Shawnee State, while Grace Eberhard, Molly Stockton, and Jessica Willard have provided strong play when available outside of their class schedules. Katelyn Pauley, Elizabeth Scott, Lacey Urban, Allison Romito and Sarah Lemaster have all played well as underclassmen hands on the roster.
A list of Shawnee State's victories are as follows:
March 20 -- Martin Methodist, 5-2 SSU win
No. 1 doubles -- Kierstin Hensley/Claire Carruthers (Shawnee State) def. Emely Castro/Leovanna Viamonte (Martin Methodist), 7-5
No. 2 doubles -- Abbey Rumble/Margaret Lucas (Martin Methodist) def. Allison Romito/Sara Martin Reguera (Shawnee State), 6-2
No. 3 doubles -- Elizabeth Scott/Lacey Urban (Shawnee State) win by forfeit
No. 1 singles -- Kierstin Hensley (Shawnee State) def. Margaret Lucas (Martin Methodist), 6-0, 6-0
No. 2 singles -- Emely Castro (Martin Methodist) def. Claire Carruthers (Shawnee State), 6-3, 6-3
No. 3 singles -- Sara Martin Reguera (Shawnee State) def. Leovanna Viamonte (Martin Methodist) 6-1, 6-3
No. 4 singles -- Abbey Rumble (Martin Methodist) def. Lacy Urban (Shawnee State), 6-3, 6-2
No. 5 singles -- Elizabeth Scott (Shawnee State) def. Michelle Soriano (Martin Methodist), 6-1, 6-1
No. 6 singles -- SSU wins by forfeit
April 2 -- Bethel (Tenn.), 5-2 SSU win
No. 1 doubles -- Kierstin Hensley/Claire Carruthers (Shawnee State) def. Anabella Baralt/Samantha Jo Stone (Bethel), 6-0
No. 2 doubles -- Luana Seyboth Wild/Sophia Vasconcellos (Bethel) def. Lacey Urban/Elizabeth Scott (Shawnee State), 6-0
No. 3 doubles -- Sara Martin Reguera/Allison Romito (Shawnee State) def. Lexi Daniels/Kelsie Seiber (Bethel), 6-2
No. 1 singles -- Kierstin Hensley (Shawnee State) def. Anabella Baralt (Bethel), 6-1, 6-0
No. 2 singles -- Luana Seyboth Wild (Bethel) def. Allison Romito (Shawnee State), 6-1, 6-1
No. 3 singles -- Sara Martin Reguera (Shawnee State) def. Sophia Vasconcellos (Bethel) 6-1, 6-3
No. 4 singles -- Lexi Daniels (Bethel) def. Claire Carruthers (Shawnee State) 6-3, 6-0
No. 5 singles -- Lexy Urban (Shawnee State) def. Kelsie Seiber (Bethel) 6-1, 6-2
No. 6 singles -- Elizabeth Scott (Shawnee State) def. Samantha Jo Stone (Bethel) 6-3, 6-1
April 3 -- Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.), 6-1 SSU win
No. 1 doubles -- Kierstin Hensley/Claire Carruthers (Shawnee State) def. Skylar Sullivan/Emaleigh Board (Freed-Hardeman), 6-1
No. 2 doubles -- Sara Martin Reguera/Allison Romito (Shawnee State) def. Juliana Alvez/Savannah Corbitt (Freed-Hardeman) 7-6 (7-3)
No. 3 doubles -- Jessica Willard/Grace Eberhard (Shawnee State) def. Camryn Reed/Jordan Reed (Freed-Hardeman) 6-3
No. 1 singles -- Kierstin Hensley (Shawnee State) def. Skylar Sullivan (Freed-Hardeman), 6-0, 6-0
No. 2 singles -- Claire Carruthers (Shawnee State) def. Emaleigh Board (Freed-Hardeman), 6-2, 7-6 (7-4)
No. 3 singles -- Juliana Alvez (Freed-Hardeman) def. Sara Martin Reguera (Shawnee State), 6-0, 6-0
No. 4 singles -- Grace Eberhard (Shawnee State) def. Savannah Corbitt (Freed-Hardeman), 6-2, 6-3
No. 5 singles -- Jessica Willard (Shawnee State) def. Jordan Reed (Freed-Hardeman) 6-3, 6-3
No. 6 singles -- Lacey Urban (Shawnee State) def. Camryn Reed (Freed-Hardeman) 6-0, 6-3
April 11 -- Thomas More (4-3 SSU win)
No. 1 doubles -- Kierstin Hensley/Claire Carruthers (Shawnee State) def. Kimberly Sabga/Matison Perry (Thomas More), 6-0
No. 2 doubles -- Cassie Saner/Raman Dail (Thomas More) def. Sara Martin Reguera/Allison Romito (Shawnee State), 6-0
No. 3 doubles -- Grace Eberhard/Jessica Willard (Shawnee State) def. Aman Dail/Sydney Johnson (Thomas More), 6-4
No. 1 singles -- Kierstin Hensley (Shawnee State) def. Kimberly Sabga (Thomas More), 6-0, 6-1
No. 2 singles -- Sara Martin Reguera (Shawnee State) def. Matison Perry (Thomas More), 6-2, 6-2
No. 3 singles -- Grace Eberhard (Shawnee State) def. Raman Dail (Thomas More), 3-6, 5-4, (Ret.)
No. 4 singles -- Cassie Saner (Thomas More) def. Allison Romito (Shawnee State), 6-2, 6-0
No. 5 singles -- Aman Dail (Thomas More) def. Claire Carruthers (Shawnee State), 7-6 (7-2), 6-3
No. 6 singles -- Jana Riffe (Thomas More) def. Lacey Urban (Shawnee State), 6-3, 6-2
Other notable performances:
Cumberland (Tenn.), 5-2 SSU loss
No. 1 singles -- Kierstin Hensley (Shawnee State) def. Jessica Hernandez (Cumberland), 6-1, 6-3
No. 3 singles -- Sara Martin Reguera (Shawnee State) def. Anna Maria Collazos (Cumberland), 6-4, 6-2
Pikeville, 5-2 SSU loss
No. 1 singles -- Kierstin Hensley (Shawnee State) def. Camala Agudelo (Pikeville), 6-0, 6-0
No. 6 singles -- Sarah Lemaster (Shawnee State) def. Erica Metzger (Pikeville), 6-3, 6-1
Additional
Shawnee State, a No. 6 seed in this week's Mid-South Conference Tournament, opens play against No. 11 Freed-Hardeman in the Mid-South Conference Opening Round at 5:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. CT at Centre Court Thursday in Owensboro, Ky. The winner will face No. 3 Campbellsville the following afternoon at 1:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. CT at Moreland Park in the same city.
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