The Thundering Herd pair earned a spot in the national indoor doubles championship at the Ohio State University, Nov. 1-4. At the national indoor championship, the Herd duo will compete against the top 16 doubles pairs in the country.
"We played very well again today," Marshall head coach John Mercer said. "The doubles victory was quite an accomplishment for Marshall women's tennis." The Herd's No. 59 nationally-ranked, and East Regionals third-seeded doubles team of Schmitt and Soor defeated the number one nationally-ranked and number one seeded Megan Moulton-Levy and Katarina Zoricic of William and Mary in the doubles finals round, 8-4, to advance to the national indoor doubles championship.
Tuesday's doubles victory was the second time a Marshall pair has made it to the doubles finals at the East Regional Championship. However, it is the first time the Herd's duo won in the doubles finals to advance to the national indoor doubles championship. "Schmitt and Soor's confidence continued to grow as the match progressed," said Mercer. "And the match ended with a great outcome."
Kellie Schmitt teamed with partner Karolina Soor to win the East Regionals doubles title and advance to the National Indoors Championships in Columbus, Ohio, November 1-4.photo from HerdZone.com
Earlier in the day, Schmitt, the No. 48 nationally-ranked singles player, had been defeated by the nation's No. 7-ranked, and No. 1 seed in the tournament, Moulton-Levy of William and Mary,in the singles semifinals round, 6-1, 6-0. "Kellie had a shaky start and couldn't get it going, which Levy capitalized on," coach Mercer continued. "It was a disappointing defeat but she rebounded very well in the doubles match."
The singles finalists and doubles champion from the East Regional Championship will earn spots in the Nov. 1-4 ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships hosted by the Ohio State University at the Racquet Club of Columbus.
Schmitt, a junior from Pittsburgh, Pa., and Soor, from Lindesberg, Sweden, and also a junior, advanced to the doubles finals round by defeating the No. 53 nationally-ranked Kosminskaya/Koulbitskaya from the University of Pennsylvania, 8-4, in the doubles semi-finals on Monday, then defeating William and Mary's the No. 15 seeded pair of Acharya/Bresson, 8-0, in the doubles quarterfinals.
It has been since 2003 when the Marshall's women's tennis doubles reached the doubles finals at the East Regional Championship when the pair of Jessica Johnson and Ashley Kroh advanced all the way to the ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championship consolation semi-finals. "(Monday) was a great day for Marshall women's tennis," Marshall head coach John Mercer said. "Kellie and Karolina did a fantastic job competing."
In singles, Schmitt defeated the No. 13 seeded Klaudyna Kasztelaniec of William and Mary in straight-sets, 6-4, 6-2, in the singles round of 16. Then Schmitt faced the No. 46 nationally-ranked and number five seeded Katarina Zoricic of William and Mary where she also won in straight-sets, 6-1, 6-2, in the singles quarterfinals. Last year, Schmitt advanced to the singles semifinals round last season before being knocked out.
"We had quite an accomplishment today," said Mercer. "I look forward to tomorrow's singles and doubles play matches."