GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The third-seeded Saint Mary's tennis team captured a thrilling 5-4 victory over second-seeded Calvin in the MIAA Tournament Semifinal round on Thursday afternoon.

 

Grace Clearwater and Katie Hunter were on the wrong side of an 8-1 final at three doubles before Anna Gardner and Emma Kealy battled their way to an 8-5 win at two doubles to knot the overall team score. Alayna Campbell and Evelyn Demblans-Dechans then came off with an 8-5 win at one doubles to give Saint Mary's a 2-1 lead going into singles play.

 

Grace Clearwater shouldered a 6-0, 6-0 setback at five singles, and Katie Hunter came up short in a 6-1, 6-2 final at six singles as Calvin edged ahead 3-2 in the match. Alayna Campbell tied things up in the overall score with a 6-0, 6-4 victory at one singles. Anna Gardner fell in a tightly-played 6-4, 6-4 final at four singles as the Knights needed just one flight to clinch the match while the Belles needed both remaining singles competitions.

 

Emma Kealy bounced back from a second-set loss in commanding fashion in her third set to capture a 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 victory at two singles. With one match remaining, Evelyn Demblans-Dechans completed a come-from-behind win and held off her opponent late in the third set for a dramatic 2-6, 6-1, 6-4 win at three singles to clinch the victory.

 

It is the first MIAA Tournament Final appearance for the Belles ever in the top-four tournament format, which started in the 2012 season.

 

The Belles (17-6) will now face top-seeded Hope in the MIAA Tournament Final on Saturday, May 4. The match is scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m.