Owls three-peat as NCAC Tournament Champions

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GAMBIER, Ohio — For the third straight season, the Kenyon College women’s tennis team pulled off a clean sweep of the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Championships, backing up a regular-season title by claiming the NCAC Tournament Championship. The top-seeded Owls clinched the crown with a clean sweep, downing second-seeded Denison University 4-0 to punch Kenyon’s ticket to the 2025 NCAA Division III Women’s Tennis Tournament.

Much like in their regular-season matchup, No. 25-ranked Kenyon (15-6) was pushed by No. 26-ranked Denison (16-7), particularly in doubles, but the Owls pulled away in singles to secure the sweep.

In doubles, Kenyon’s No. 1 duo of Eleni Lazaridou and Hana Nouaime set the tone with a 6-3 victory in the top flight. Shortly thereafter, in the second flight, Shadia Amado Aguad and Clare Hudson clinched the doubles point with a 6-4 win that put the Owls ahead 1-0 in the dual.

In singles, both Lazaridou and Hudson contributed to the clinch. Lazaridou landed the first blow, locking up the No. 1 match with a speedy 6-2, 6-1 sweep. Second to finish, it was Ana Brand who brought the Owls within a point of clinching the crown. The sophomore swept the No. 2 match 6-3, 6-2 putting the Owls on the precipice of victory.

Amado Aguad and Hudson were racing towards the clinching point as both Owls held a 5-1 lead in their respective second sets. Ultimately, it was Hudson who hammered home the win, capping Kenyon’s 4-0 sweep with a 6-1, 6-1 victory in the fourth flight.

Kenyon’s three-peat marked the program’s 18th all-time NCAC Tournament Championship, and the Owls earned the NCAC’s automatic NCAA Tournament bid. Kenyon will make its 25th NCAA Tournament appearance, and the NCAA Division III field will be announced on Monday, May 5, at noon.