SIUE women's tennis faces Vanderbilt in first round of 2017 national tournament

EDWARDSVILLE – SIUE women's tennis advanced to the NCAA Division I Championships for the second consecutive season and learned Tuesday it will face Vanderbilt in the opening round of the 2017 national tournament.

The opening round match will take place May 12th with a 4 p.m. dual at the Brownlee O. Currey Jr. Tennis Center.

SIUE earned the automatic bid after winning its second straight Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Title. The Cougars finished the regular season and the league championships with a perfect 21-0 dual match record and a 9-0 record in conference play. Both marks are program bests at the Division I level.

Vanderbilt, 17-5, is the Southeastern Conference champion and the No. 4 seed nationally.

SIUE is led by first team All-OVC selections Lexi Aranda and Mia Frogner. The two seniors locked in the top two singles positions for the Cougars.

Aranda holds a 19-6 singles record, including a 17-2 mark in No. 1 singles matches. Frogner has a 20-7 singles record, including a 16-3 mark in No. 2 singles matches.

"They have been fantastic," said Mueller. "We would not be 21-0 without the two of them. They have left an impression on this program."

Morgan Steffes leads the team in singles wins with 23 followed by 22 from freshman Tiffany Hollebeck. Callaghan Adams, also a freshman, has recorded 17 singles wins this season.

Mueller said Aranda and Frogner have made an impression on the younger players on the roster.

"They have showed the younger players how to carry themselves day in and day out with preparation," he said. "On match day, they have stepped up."

For the second straight season, SIUE will appear in the NCAA Tournament opening round against Vanderbilt.

"Vanderbilt is a terrific host school," said Mueller. "It's a great environment and really good facilities. They are one of the top teams in the country. It's a very special moment that should be enjoyed. We're looking forward to the trip."

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