MADISON, Wis. – Lawrence University’s No. 1 doubles team of Beth Larson and Jenny Roesch captured the title Saturday at the Midwest Conference Championships at Nielsen Tennis Stadium.
It was the first doubles title for Larson and Roesch, and the second conference championship for Larson. She won the No. 1 singles title in 2008.
Larson and Roesch became Lawrence’s first doubles champions since Serene Sahar and Susan Klumpner won at No. 2 doubles in 2005. Larson and Roesch are the first Lawrence team to win a No. 1 doubles title since Anita Salzberger and Krin Ringel won in 1988.
Larson and Roesch didn’t drop a set on their way to the title. The Lawrence duo defeated Lake Forest College’s Nonie Carlson and Melika Celebic 6-1, 7-6 (7-1) for the title.
Lawrence also took the consolation title at No. 3 doubles. The team of Kat Valde and Gayatri Malhotra beat Ripon College’s Oliva Wetzel and Alison Thies 10-4 for the consolation crown.
Lawrence’s No. 2 doubles team of Carla Schmidt and Greta Elsass won in the quarterfinals but were eliminated by the eventual champions from Grinnell College in the semifinals.
In Sunday’s singles competition, the Vikings posted a pair of second-place finishes.
For the second consecutive season, Larson finished second at No. 1 singles after a 7-5, 6-4 loss to Celebic of Lake Forest.
At No. 4 singles, Schmidt dropped a 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 decision to Grinnell’s Megan Counts in the title match.
Both Roesch at No. 2 and Malhotra at No. 3 were eliminated in the championship semifinals. Valde at No. 5 and Elizabeth Byers at No. 6 both fell in the championship quarterfinals. Both Valde and Byers reached the consolation finals, but Valde was forced to retire and Byers lost 10-8 to Emily Tyl of Knox College.