MUNCIE, Ind. – The No. 3 seed Toledo women's tennis team defeated No. 2 seed Miami 4-1 in the semifinal match of the Mid-American Conference Championships on Saturday. The Rockets' win advanced them to the finals match vs. Ball State, Toledo's first appearance in the title match in program history.

Toledo got off to a good start by taking the doubles point, then won at No. 1, 2 and 6 singles to clinch the victory.

Toledo's doubles team of Cassie Alcala/Sloane Teske won on the No. 1 court, defeating Brindtha Ramsamy/ Laura Rico, who came into the competition 9-1 vs. conference opponents on the season. Miami took the middle court, but Christina Fuller/ Julia Kuszynski clinched the point in a tight 7-5 victory at court 3.

The Rockets kept their eyes on the prize in singles competition, winning the necessary three matches to claim the team win. On the No. 2 court, Teske defeated MU's Laura Rico in two sets for the third time this season, putting the Rockets ahead in the match 2-1. Alcala ran over Miami's Brindtha Ramsamy in two sets on the No. 1 court for the second time this season, and put UT at match point. Nishitha Saravanan earned the Redhawks' only point of the match in a two-set victory on the No. 3 court. Senior Patricia Panta clinched the final point for the Rockets with a 6-2, 6-2 win on the No. 6 court to end the match and put the Rockets into the finals for the first time ever.

"This team showed up to play today," head coach Tracy Mauntler said. "We came out with a lot of energy in doubles and took a huge doubles team point from Miami. We took that momentum and kept it moving right into the singles, going up on most courts immediately. I'm always proud of the way this team plays for each other! They have so much passion."

Toledo will face No. 1 seed Ball State, winners over No. 4 seed Buffalo, on Sunday at noon at the Cardinal Creek Tennis Center in Muncie.

Toledo 4, Miami 1
Doubles
1. Cassie Alcala/ Sloane Teske (TOL) def. Brindtha Ramsamy/ Laura Rico (MU) 6-3
2. Sara Zalukar/Nishitha Saravanan (MU) def. Patricia Panta/ Shalini Tallamraju (TOL) 6-4
3. Julia Kuszynski/ Christina Fuller (TOL) def. Emilia Valentinsson/Mayu Ushio (MU) 7-5

Singles
1. Cassie Alcala (TOL) def. Brindtha Ramsamy (MU) 6-0, 7-5
2. Sloane Teske (TOL) def. Laura Rico (MU) 7-5. 6-2
3. Nishitha Saravanan (MU) def. Julia Kuszynski (TOL) 6-3, 6-1
4. Shalini Tallamraju (TOL) vs. Sara Zalukar (MU) 6-2, 5-4 unfinished
5. Eileen Carney (TOL) vs. Emilia Valentinsson (MU) 6-4, 1-4 unfinished
6. Patricia Panta (TOL) def. Mayu Ushio (MU) 6-2, 6-2