ST. LOUIS, MO. – For the second time in two days it was a rookie that sealed the Wesleyan women's tennis team's fate as Lane Durkin '27 struck lightning at No. 5 singles to propel Wesleyan over the reigning NCAA National Champion, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, 5-3, in the NCAA Tournament semifinal. Wesleyan will play for the National Title for just the third time in program history.

Awaiting the 22-0 Cardinals on Thursday is No. 3 University of Chicago. The Maroons defeated No. 2 Pomona-Pitzer, 5-4, in their own semifinal matchup on Tuesday evening. The title match between the Cardinals and the Maroons will be the first meeting between the two tennis programs.

Durkin may have struck lightning in her own right, but it was lightning and thunder that forced a venue change just after singles play had started at the Dwight Davis Tennis Center. Down 2-1 after doubles play, the indoor move to the Woodsmill Tennis Club allowed the Cardinals to dial in on the drive over.

Durkin and doubles partner Renna Mohsen-Breen '25 put the Cardinals onto the board with a victory as the No. 3 pairing. Putting away a 8-7 (7-4) win over Sena Selby and Audrey Yoon, the pair posted two unanswered points to claim the tiebreaker win to keep the Cardinals in contention.

The NESCAC Player of the Year, Caitlyn Ferrante '24, kickstarted the Cardinals' comeback with a straight set win in the No. 1 singles position. Making quick work of Lindsay Eisenman, Ferrante barely allowed Eisenman a point in set one before coming away with a final 6-1, 6-4, score.

Tying the match up at two was Sarah Youngberg '26 at No. 2 with another straight set win over Yoon. Finishing the match with a 6-3, 6-2 final tally, Youngberg picked away at Yoon through set one before pulling away with a 4-0 in set two before Yoon was able to win a game.

At No. 4, Jackie Soloveychik '27 handled Jade Haller for the match-leading point in a quick first set before Haller rallied back in a tight back and forth second set. Haller got out to an early 2-0 lead, but Soloveychik fought back and took back the lead before forcing the tiebreaker. As Haller was unable to match Soloveychik's two-point pace, Soloveychik finished with a 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) final.

Selby and Durkin's point-clinching match at No. 5 proved eventful as Selby's comeback in the first set after Durkin was up four games to one, Selby tied the match at four and the two battled it out for a tiebreaker. Durkin was unrelenting, winning the first set before sending Selby a 7-6 (7-2), 6-1, defeat, advancing the Cardinals to their third NCAA Title match.

In just their second defeat of the season, the Athenas picked up points at No. 1 doubles as Nikolina Batoshvili and Alisha Chulani defeated Ferrante and Youngberg 7-8 (4-7). At No. 2, Ella Brissett and Eisenman beat Leila Epstein '26 and Soloveychik 2-8. Epstein also fell at No. 3 singles to Chulani in a 6-7 (4-7), 4-6, final.

The Cardinals will get the day off on Wednesday before facing the University of Chicago on Thursday, May 23, at 1 p.m. EST, 12 p.m. CDT.