Women's Tennis
Commonwealth Conference Semifinal
Lebanon Valley 5, Messiah 3

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ANNVILLE, Pa. - Senior Shayna Heintzelman became Lebanon Valley's all-time doubles wins leader as the Dutchmen wrapped up a 5-3 playoff semifinal win over Messiah to move on to their fourth straight Commonwealth Conference championship match appearance.

Lebanon Valley (12-6) will once again face Elizabethtown in Saturday's final at noon; E-town beat Lycoming 5-0 in the other semifinal. Each of the last three CC finals have pitted LVC against Elizabethtown; the Dutchmen won one of those, in 2008-09.

Heintzelman teamed with Christie Graf at No. 1 doubles to beat Erin Ipsen and Stacey Clark 8-2, moving her to 48-25 in her career and surpassing Charissa Nordall '09 for the program doubles record.

However, just a week after sweeping all three doubles points from Messiah in their last match, the Falcons turned it around and took Nos. 2 and 3 from LVC, first as Kristen Chen and Cassie Beck beat Lauren Fulmer and Tam Lobb 8-6 at No. 2 and then as Steph Knepper and Ellen Harpold worked a 9-8 (5) win over Morgan Brady and Jess Ferlenda.

Trailing 2-1 heading into singles, LVC picked up quick wins at Nos. 1 and 2 as Heintzelman beat Ipsen and Fulmer defeated Clark, both by 6-2, 6-0 scores. Kaitlyn Clark tied it for Messiah at 3-3 with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Brady at No. 5, but Graf finished off her 6-0, 6-1 win over Chen at No. 3 to put the Dutchmen on the doorstep, and Lobb clinched the win with a 6-4, 6-0 decision against Beck at No. 4.

Danielle Bordner's match with Steph Knepper was unfinished at No. 6, with Bordner leading 7-6 (4), 1-2.