Women's Tennis 4/23/2017 7:30:00 PM

Blue Jays clinch home semifinal match with win over Catholic on Senior Day

Results

ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. -- Elizabethtown faced a bit of adversity on Senior Day against Catholic, Sunday, dropping two points in doubles. The Blue Jays turned it around in singles to win 6-3 and lock up a Landmark semifinal match.

Seniors Taylor Helsel and Madison McCall, honored prior to the match along with Brooke Hillriegel, registered a pair of wins for the Jays (10-4, 6-1 Landmark).

Helsel and McCall were responsible for Elizabethtown's only point in doubles, besting Catholic's top team of Laura Torsiello and Sarah MacLean, 8-5.

In singles, Helsel set the tone with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Torsiello at No. 1. With her father, former E-town head coach Matt Helsel, in attendance, Helsel moved within seven combined wins of 100 for her career. She's won 41 times in singles and 52 times in doubles over her four years in Blue and Gray.

McCall, who became the 11th member of the 100-win club earlier this season, followed Helsel with a 6-4, 6-2 win against Jenna Gietl at No. 2 to put the Blue Jays ahead in the match, 3-2.

Elizabethtown was well aware of the task entering singles, needing four points to secure victory in a match that likely decided the No. 2 seed in the upcoming Landmark Conference Championship tournament.

Sophomore Meghan Chemidlin swept MacLean in the first set at third singles, but MacLean edged the Stewartstown, New Jersey, native in the second. Chemidlin got her momentum back at the right time, commanding the final set for a 6-0, 4-6, 6-1 victory.

The Blue Jays earned the necessary fifth point to claim the match when sophomore Amber Burd put away Faith Tamuleviz 6-4, 6-0 at fifth singles.

Lenea Riehl got a boost of confidence with a come-from-behind 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 victory over Erin Cole at fourth singles.

Catholic (9-6, 3-3) won second and third singles, along with sixth singles. They've faced the Blue Jays in the Landmark semifinals in each of the last two seasons.

Elizabethtown's victory was its eighth in a row and ensured the program its 13th straight double-digit-win season. The Blue Jays will conclude the regular season by making up a postponed home match with rival Messiah on Wednesday at 4 p.m.

Elizabethtown 6, Catholic 3
April 23, 2017 at Elizabethtown, Pa. (Alumni Courts)

Singles competition

1. Taylor Helsel (ETOWN) def. Laura Torsiello (CUA) 6-2, 6-1

2. Madison McCall (ETOWN) def. Jenna Gietl (CUA) 6-4, 6-2

3. Meghan Chemidlin (ETOWN) def. Sarah MacLean (CUA) 6-0, 4-6, 6-1

4. Lenea Riehl (ETOWN) def. Erin Cole (CUA) 3-6, 6-4, 7-5

5. Amber Burd (ETOWN) def. Faith Tamuleviz (CUA) 6-4, 6-0

6. Elizabeth Ast (CUA) def. Brooke Hillriegel (ETOWN) 6-4, 7-5

Doubles competition

1. Taylor Helsel/Madison McCall (ETOWN) def. Laura Torsiello/Sarah MacLean (CUA) 8-5

2. Jenna Gietl/Erin Cole (CUA) def. Meghan Chemidlin/Lenea Riehl (ETOWN) 9-8 (10-8)

3. Faith Tamuleviz/Lisa Genadry (CUA) def. Amber Burd/Kaitlyn O'Connor (ETOWN) 8-5

Match Notes

Catholic 9-6, 3-3 Landmark

Elizabethtown 10-4, 6-1 Landmark

Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (1,2,3,5,4,6)

Landmark Conference match

Elizabethtown clinches home Landmark semifinal match with victory

Official: None T-4:55 A-115

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Amber Burd: 5' 3"; Sophomore

Meghan Chemidlin: 5' 3"; Sophomore

Taylor Helsel: 5' 4"; Senior

Brooke Hillriegel: 5' 6"; Senior

Madison McCall: 5' 2"; Senior

Kaitlyn O'Connor: 5' 5"; Sophomore

Lenea Riehl: 5' 5"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Amber Burd
: 5' 3"; Sophomore

Meghan Chemidlin
: 5' 3"; Sophomore

Taylor Helsel
: 5' 4"; Senior

Brooke Hillriegel
: 5' 6"; Senior

Madison McCall
: 5' 2"; Senior

Kaitlyn O'Connor
: 5' 5"; Sophomore

Lenea Riehl
: 5' 5"; Freshman