FREDERICK, Md. - The Hood College women's tennis team travels to Alvernia for the Middle Atlantic Conference Semifinals on May 3 at 3:30 p.m.
The Blazers are seeded third, while the host Crusaders are the No. 2 seed in the tournament.
MAC Championship Central
SCOUTING HOOD
The Blazers are 9-9 overall, but went 5-2 in the MAC Commonwealth. It marks the most wins and guarantees the first .500 or better season since the Blazers went 10-10 in 2008-09.
Olivia Hosch (Newport, R.I. / Cushing Academy) is 8-9 with a 5-2 mark against conference opponents at first singles. Michelle Shedd (Middletown, Md. / Middletown) leads the team in wins and has gone 11-8 this year, matching Hosch's MAC Commonwealth record at second singles. Sophie Smith (Freeport, Maine / Freeport) and Bianca Hoch (Frederick, Md. / Urbana) also went 5-2 against conference opposition. Smith is 5-5 at fourth singles overall and 6-7 this year. Hoch joined the team during the fall and has gone 8-4, including a 6-3 mark at sixth singles.
Hosch and Shedd are 10-9 at first doubles this year with a 5-2 mark in the conference. Meaghan Donahue (Walkersville, Md. / Walkersville) and Aubrey Fetters (Frostburg, Md. / Bishop Walsh) were the runners up at the MAC Individual Championships in the fall and carry an 8-10 mark at second doubles, including three conference wins. Smith and Hoch have teamed to go 7-2 at third doubles.
SCOUTING ALVERNIA
The Cursaders are 10-7 on the year and 6-1 in the MAC Commonwealth.
Emily Thek (4th singles) leads the team with 15 wins. Cassandra Noray (1st singles) and Amanda Phillips (2nd singles) each have 13 wins. All three, along with Lillian Hussar (3rd singles) went 6-1 in MAC Commonwealth matches.
Only two doubles pairings that have played together more than twice have records above .500. Noray and Phillips are 9-8 togethter at first doubles. Hussar and Thek are 7-5 this ear at second doubles, but went 6-1 in conference.
LAST MEETING
Alvernia snapped Hood's four-match win streak with a 6-3 victory on Apr. 9. Smith and Hoch picked up a point at third doubles with an 8-0 win over Xena Sperrazza and Cassandra Bean. Hoch picked up her second win of the day with a 6-1, 6-2 victory at sixth singles against Bean. Donahue won a three-set final over Sperrazza at fifth singles, 5-7, 6-3, 10-7.
PLAYOFF HISTORY
The Blazers are looking for their first win in the conference tournament since the 2009-10 season. Then a member of the Capital Athletic Conference, Hood defeated Wesley 8-1 before losing to Mary Washington in the semifinals.
