The team beat DePaul 4-1 in the championship match last Monday

By Grace Carlo, Digital Communications Manager

Xavier women’s tennis won the 2021 Big East Tournament, conquering the conference title with a 4-1 victory over DePaul on Monday in Cayce, S.C. 

This is the second Big East Championship for the team, which also won the title back in 2016. The Musketeers took the 4-0 win against Marquette on April 23 followed by a 4-1 win against St. John’s in the semi-finals on April 25. 

Xavier dominated from the start by capitalizing on doubles, taking a 5-2 lead on all three courts. 

Redshirt freshman Kat Lyman and senior Kaitlin Ruether picked up the 6-2 win in the No. 3 match, followed by senior Ahmeir Kyle and junior Emily Thomas grabbing the point with a 6-2 win on the No. 1 court. 

Redshirt freshman Anna Roggenburk and freshman Imani Graham led the match 5-2 in No. 2 doubles when the final point was decided. 

In singles, Xavier picked up the first match with Roggenburk 6-2, 6-2 on No. 3 making the score 2-0. 

Roggenburk gained her seventh straight win and 15th straight singles win overall this season. 

Graham on No. 4 took the next point, 6-4, 6-3, giving the Musketeers a 3-0 lead. She has had an outstanding freshmen season with 16 single wins. 

DePaul picked up the next point in the No. 5 match against Ruether to make it 3-1 Xavier. 

On the No. 2 court, Lyman battled through a foot injury to come back in the third set winning 7-6, 3-6, 6-2, to decide the match at 4-1. Kyle was in a third set, 5-7, 7-6, 2-5, in the No. 1 match when the point was decided. 

Thomas was also in the third set, 6-3, 6-7, 2-4, in the No. 6 match when Xavier took the win. The game was Xavier’s 17th overall win, and eighth straight win this season. 

The Musketeers only suffered three losses this season to Virginia Tech, Louisville and Memphis. 

Roggenburk was named Most Outstanding Player for the tournament after going 4-0 for the tournament. 

Roggenburk and Graham helped pick up the doubles points in the matches against Marquette and St. John’s. 

The Musketeers will participate in the 2021 NCAA Tournament for the second time. The drawing will be decided during the Division I selection show on Monday, at 6:00 p.m. 

The NCAA Division I Women’s Tennis Tournament is set to take place from May 16 to 28, opening at numerous sites then advancing to the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla where the final rounds will be held.