GAMBIER, Ohio – The No. 14-ranked Kenyon College women's tennis team did not just defend its home courts Sunday afternoon. The Owls owned them.
Hosting the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament final at VandenBerg Courts, Kenyon delivered a championship-clinching performance against rival No. 21 Denison University, blanking the Big Red by a 5-0 score to capture the program's fourth straight NCAC Tournament Championship.
With the win, the Owls improved to 18-5 overall, secured the conference's automatic bid into the 2026 NCAA Division III Women's Tennis Tournament, and added another chapter to its already decorated program history. The title marks Kenyon's 19th all-time NCAC Tournament Championship, while the upcoming national tournament berth will be the Owls' 25th NCAA Tournament appearance.
Kenyon wasted no time putting pressure on Denison, striking first in doubles to grab early control of the championship match. At No. 2 doubles,
Shadia Amado Aguad and
Kiara Komlodi got the Owls on the board with a 6-3 win over Dasha Chistyakova and Caitlin Van Winkle. Moments later,
Eleni Lazaridou and
Hana Nouaime strengthened KC's grip on the match with a 6-2 victory over Peyton Oda and Rafaella Ramos in the top doubles flight. The No. 3 doubles match between
Clare Hudson and
Maggie Shope and Denison's Maddie Larsen and Maia Nowicki went unfinished, with Kenyon leading 4-3 when doubles play wrapped.
Amado Aguad delivered the first singles strike at No. 4, taking down Chistyakova 6-2, 6-3 to push Kenyon ahead 2-0. Nouaime followed with another result in the third flight, overpowering Ramos 6-1, 6-2 and bringing the Owls within two points of the title. Hudson then moved KC to the brink, handling Nowicki at No. 5 singles with a 6-1, 6-2 victory. From there, Lazaridou slammed the door shut at the top spot, defeating Oda 6-3, 6-2 to secure the fifth and final point, set off the celebration, and officially keep the NCAC trophy in Gambier.
Even with the championship already decided, Kenyon was battling across the remaining courts. Komlodi forced a third set at No. 2 singles after bouncing back from a 6-2 opening-set loss with a 6-3 second-set win. At No. 6 singles,
Elizabeth Ackermann pushed for a third set as well but the match went unfinished against Larsen.
The Owls will now turn their attention to the national stage. The NCAA Division III Women's Tennis Tournament field will be announced Monday, May 4, at noon, when the Owls will officially learn its postseason path.
