Spokane Sweeps Doubles to Win 1st NWAC Women’s Tennis Title since 2002
WOMEN'S TENNIS BRACKET
WENATCHEE, Wash. – The No. 2 Spokane women's tennis team upset No. 1-seeded Highline in the finals of the 2024 NWAC Women's Tennis Championship to win their first title since 2002 and third overall on Sunday at the Wenatchee Racquet & Athletic Club.
The Sasquatch split the singles matches against Highline to be tied 3-3 in the match, but won all three doubles matches to win the finals 6-3. The title is the first for Spokane since 2002 when they won a pair of back-to-back titles under then head coach Wally Heidenson, who is now the tournament director and namesake of the tournament's sportsmanship award.
The championship is the first for current head coach John Gant on either the men's or women's side. Gant was named the NWAC Women's Coach of the Year.
The Sasquatch were led at the top by No. 1 singles champion and Baden Women's Tennis Player of the Year Sandy Ransibrahmanakul, who went undefeated in both singles and doubles. In the finals, Ransibrahmanakul had an impressive match against 2023 singles champion Kinsey Lockhart of Highline, defeating her in straight sets 6-0 and 6-0. Ransibrahmanakul partnered with teammate Elsie Carsey to win their doubles match 8-2 over Lockhart and Sophia Crosby.
Spokane's Carsey also won her No. 2 singles match 6-1, 6-1 over Riley Cordova for Highline. Janice Roundy got the other singles win for the Sasquatch by a 6-2, 6-1 score in the No. 6 spot. In doubles, Oliva Erland and Savannah Crisp defeated Cordova and Henleigh Elder to win the No. 2 doubles spot for Spokane. Roundy and Gwen Gilliam closed out the No. 3 doubles with a close 8-5 win over Highline's Terry and Caley Buchan.
Highline earned their three wins as Crosby defeated Erland 6-3, 6-3 in the No. 3 singles spot. Elder bested Crisp 6-4, 6-4 in the No. 4 spot and Buchan defeated Adelle West 6-1, 6-0 in the No. 5 spot.
Along with the singles and doubles championships, Sandi Ransibrahmanakul received the Wally Hedenson Sportsmanship award.
In the third-place match, Treasure Valley took down Bellevue by a 6-3 score. The Chukars earned three forfeits in the No. 5 and 6 singles and No. 3 doubles. Elena Henry won the No. 1 singles spot by a 6-3, 6-1 score over Shanna Chua. Addie Raebel won the No. 4 singles matchup for TVCC over Christabel Jamison 6-3, 6-1. In the doubles, Raebel and Sharp paired up to defeat Wilson and Jamison by an 8-2 score.
The Bulldogs earned their wins in the No. 2 singles as Tess Wimer defeated Brenda Ramirez 6-2, 2-6, 6-1. Sadie Wilson won the No. 3 singles by a 6-0, 6-1 score over Erin Hawker. In doubles, Chua and Wimer won the No. 1 pairing over Henry and Ramirez by an 8-5 score.
NWAC Women's Tennis All-Conference
1st Team
Kinsey Lockhart, Highline
Sandi Ransibrahmanakul, Spokane
Elsie Carsey, Spokane
Elena Henry, Treasure Valley
2ndTeam:
Emma Wetzel, Bellevue
Riley Cordova, Highline
Sophia Crosby, Highline
Olivia Erland, Spokane