The Lake Forest College women's tennis team placed fourth in Friday's (October 16) Midwest Conference Team Championship Tournament and then confirmed that placing by collecting the fourth-highest point total in the doubles and singles tournaments on Saturday and Sunday (October 17-18).

Highlighting the weekend for Lake Forest were a pair of conference titles in singles on Sunday.

Freshman Melika Celebic (Visoko, Bosnia Herzegovina/United World College) staked her claim as the league's top player by claiming the championship at the top spot in the lineup, despite entering the tourney as the #4 seed and wearing a teammates' shoes. She rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Grinnell College's top player in the quarterfinals, defeated Lawrence University's best 6-2, 6-4 in the semifinals, and then avenged one of her few losses this season by knocking off the #1 from St. Norbert College 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in the final. Celebic is the Foresters' first conference champion at #1 singles since Kris Ang accomplished the feat in 1989.

The weekend's competition was the last for head coach Chris Pier, who is stepping down after 14 years with the program. She commented on Celebic's championship performance. "The field at #1 singles was as strong as I've seen in this conference and Melika played amazing tennis to finish on top. Both players made incredible shots in the final and showed a lot of heart in a tough three-set match. It's exciting for Melika and great for our program to have another champion at #1 singles."

Junior Lauren Stroner (Johnsburg, Ill./Johnsburg) posted three convincing victories to capture the title at #5. Like Celebic, she did not surrender a game in her quarterfinal match against Knox. Stroner also routed her opponent from St. Norbert 6-2, 6-1 in the semifinals and then defeated the #5 player from Beloit College 6-4, 6-2 in the championship match to complete the season undefeated against conference foes.

"I could see the determination and desire in Lauren's eyes from the start of the tournament," recalled Pier. "She improved tremendously throughout the season and finished by playing her best tennis of the year on Sunday."

Three other Foresters reached the semifinals at their respective positions. Senior Molly Stapleton (St. Louis Park, Minn./Saint Louis Park) played a pair of close matches, prevailling 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 in the quarterfinals before falling 7-5, 6-4 in the semis. Sophomore Allison Hamel (Bend, Ore./Bend) won 6-1, 7-6 (7-2) in the quarterfinals before dropping a 6-1, 6-1 decision to the eventual champion at #4. Junior Natalie Atroshenko (Wheeling, Ill./Buffalo Grove) routed her quarterfinal opponent 6-0, 6-1 and fell 6-4, 6-3 in the semifinals.

At #2 singles sophomore Nonie Carson (Littleton, Colo./Littleton) was defeated in the quarterfinals but rebounded for a 10-1 victory in the consolation semifinals. She then fell 10-5 in the consolation final.

All three Forester doubles teams reached the semifinals before falling to the eventual champions on Sunday. Celebic and Carson recorded a 7-5, 4-6, 6-2 triumph in the quarterfinals at #1. Stapleton and Atroshenko had to win a play-in match (6-3, 6-1) to advance to the quarterfinals at #2, where they prevailed again 6-3, 6-4. The duo won the first semifinal set 6-3 before falling 6-3 in the second and 6-0 in the third. Stroner and sophomore Sara Bennett (Sioux City, Iowa/Sioux City North) posted a 6-2, 6-3 quarterfinal victory at #3.

The Foresters, who finished the season with an overall record of 10-6-1 and an MWC South Division mark of 3-1, will lose Stapleton and fellow senior Viri Del Bosque (Rockford, Ill./Guilford) to graduation in May.