The Hillsdale College women's tennis team had an impressive showing at the 2024 ITA Midwest Regional hosted by Grand Valley State over the weekend, with every single Charger competing earning at least one victory on the court.

The annual event brings together all of the top teams and players in the Midwest at the NCAA DII level for singles and doubles competition, making it an excellent measuring stick for where Hillsdale stands relative to its peers.

Two veteran players led the way for Hillsdale in singles, as returning G-MAC Freshman of the Year Ane Dannhauser made a run to the round of 16 in the top singles bracket. Dannhauser downed Lidia Laskova of Findlay 7-6 (5), 6-2 in the opening round and upset 16th-seeded Rafaela Platsiota of Northwood, 6-3, 7-5 in the second round to set up a showdown with the top-ranked player in the draw, Eleanor Coleman of Rockhurst, in the round of 16. Dannhauser pushed the favorite to the brink and nearly pulled another major upset before falling 7-5, 4-6, 4-10.
 
In the B singles bracket, senior Libby McGivern had her best-ever run for Hillsdale in her final Midwest Regional, winning matches over Anna Matino of Quincy (6-1, 6-0), Aimee Reynoso of Ferris State (6-3, 3-0, injury retirement) and Erin Hack of Davenport (6-2, 6-1) to reach the quarterfinals for the first time. McGivern also saw her run ended by the top-seeded player in the bracket, Jimena De Pablos Hernando of Indianapolis, but gave her a good fight in the first set in a 4-6, 1-6 loss.

Along with their singles success, Dannhauser and McGivern also teamed up for a solid run in the A doubles bracket, winning a tiebreak thriller over a team from Ferris State in the first round, and beating the 7th-seeded team from Indianapolis by injury retirement after leading the match 3-2. The pair's run ended in the quarterfinals, as it took the top-seeded team from Wayne State to knock Dannhauser and McGivern out of the competition.

Hillsdale's other four competitors also had success on the weekend. Freshman Briana Rees won her opening-round match in the A Singles draw 6-0, 6-0 over Varvara Ogorodnikova of Roosevelt to make the Round of 32, while senior Courtney Rittel bounced back from an opening round loss in the B singles draw to beat both Hana Bytyqi of Rockhurst 6-1, 6-4 and Fabiola Rivas by injury withdrawal to reach the consolation bracket quarterfinals. The pair also won their opening round match in the A doubles draw, beating a team from Indianapolis 8-6.

Freshman Julia Zlateva also opened play in the B singles draw with a win over Hayley Tsuen of Purdue Northwest, 6-2, 6-2, to reach the round of 32, and partnered with junior Isabella Spinazze to win two matches in the B doubles draw, topping a team from Saginaw Valley State in the second round 8-4 after advancing in the first round by withdrawal.

The showing gives Hillsdale solid momentum to work with entering the team's final event of the fall, a home invitational on Sept. 28 and 29 with three opposing teams in attendance.

Photo by Kentucky Wesleyan Athletics