WHITEWATER, Wis. – The Carleton College women's tennis team saw its season come to a close with a 5-1 loss to No. 1-ranked University of Chicago in the second round of the NCAA Championships.
 
"It is just great to finish the year competing well against the No. 1 team in the country," said Carleton head coach Luciano Battaglini. "We are happy to have had a great season with a fun group of student-athletes."
 
Both Carleton (16-2) losses this season came against nationally-ranked opponents. Last Saturday, the Knights were able to avenge an earlier-season setback against No. 35 Gustavus Adolphus with a 5-1 triumph in the finals of the MIAC Playoffs.
 
Today, the Carleton team point came from the pairing of Amelia Asfaw (Fy./Seattle, Wash./Seattle Prep) and Mary Frances Hose (So./Columbia, Mo./Rock Bridge), who won 8-3 atop the doubles lineup. The Knight duo is ranked No. 6 in the central region, while their opponents were listed at No. 14 in the regional rankings.
 
The Maroons (19-1) opened the day with an 8-1 triumph at No. 2 doubles, snapping a 10-match win streak for the tandem of Mariam Nechiporuk (Fy./Portland, Ore./Lake Oswego) and Ingrid Smith (Fy./Edina, Minn./Edina).
 
Chicago held a 2-1 lead after doubles thanks to an 8-2 victory at the third slot in the lineup as Carleton's Taylor Thulson (Sr./Louisville, Colo./Niwot) and Amanda Black (Fy./Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville) lost for only the second time in the last month.
 
The Maroons closed out the match with straight-set victories at No. 4, No. 5, and No. 6 singles.
 
Chicago rookie Sylwia Mikos, the top-ranked player in the region, won the opening set at No. 1 singles and led Hose, ranked No. 9 in the region, 5-3 in the second set when play was halted. Hose concludes the year with a 17-4 singles ledger,
 
Asfaw captured the opening set at No. 2 singles, 6-2, and led 3-2 in the second set before play stopped. She is ranked No. 20 in the region, while her opponent, Claudia Ng, entered the day ranked No. 18. Asfaw finished the season 14-0 in singles and was ahead in both of her unfinished matches.
 
Nechiporuk was locked in a tight battle at No. 3 singles, where Nicole Geller held a narrow 6-5 lead In the first set. The Carleton rookie posted a 14-1 singles mark during the 2021-22 campaign.
 
Smith was on the wrong end of a 6-2, 6-1 score at No. 4 singles. She was fourth on the roster with 10 singles victories during her debut season.
 
At No. 5 singles, Miriam Shteyman (Fy./Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata) lost in straight sets for the first time this season. It was only her second setback over the last 12 weeks, while at No. 6 singles, Black lost for only the second time since October.
 
Carleton is primed for another strong season in 2022-23. Thulson, who went 9-4 in doubles and 2-2 in singles this year, was the lone senior on the roster.
 
#1 University of Chicago 5, #11 Carleton College 1
Singles competition
1. #1 Mikos, Sylwia (UCW) vs. #9 Mary Frances Hose (CAR) 6-1, 5-3, unfinished
2. #18 Ng, Claudia (UCW) vs. #20 Amelia Asfaw (CAR) 2-6, 2-3, unfinished
3. Geller, Nicole (UCW) vs. Mariam Nechiporuk (CAR) 6-5, unfinished
4. Yuan, Miranda (UCW) def. Ingrid Smith (CAR) 6-2, 6-1
5. Park, Lauren (UCW) def. Miriam Shteyman (CAR) 6-2, 6-2
6. Pandey, Annika (UCW) def. Amanda Black (CAR) 6-1, 6-0
 
Doubles competition
1. #6 Amelia Asfaw/Mary Frances Hose (CAR) def. #14 Lee, Eugenia/Ng, Claudia (UCW) 8-3
2. Mikos, Sylwia/Wang, Perene (UCW) def. Ingrid Smith/Mariam Nechiporuk (CAR) 8-1
3. Geller, Nicole/Park, Lauren (UCW) def. Taylor Thulson/Amanda Black (CAR) 8-2