Marshall, Mo. - Missouri Valley College women's tennis team won their first ever Heart of America Athletic Conference tournament this past weekend in Marshall, Mo. The victory sends the Lady Vikings to the 29^th Annual NAIA National Tennis Championship in Mobile, Alabama on May 12-16.

On Friday, the No.2 seed Lady Vikings got a first-round bye, but in the semifinal match they squared off against a stubborn Graceland University squad winning 5-3. The only win in the doubles matches was by the #3 team of Davina Holtfreter (FR, Hamburg, Germany) and Lindsay Tworek (JR, Columbus, NE). Valley continued its winning ways in the single's matches against the Yellowjackets. Elanqua Griffin (FR, Nassau, Bahamas) 6-4, 6-1, Daviana Holtfreter 6-4, 6-4, Tershelle Burrows (FR, Nassau Bahamas) 6-3, 6-4, and Juliana Doyle (FR, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) 6-4, 6-2. Nicki Erickson (SR, Marshall, MO) was winning when the Lady Vikings sealed the win.

In the finals on Saturday, the Vikings played No.1 seed William Jewell College who had earlier, during the regular season defeated MVC 5-4. Not this time, the Lady Vikings won two of three doubles matches to start the day off. In singles play Nicki Erickson defeated Tanya Ratana at No.2 (6-1, 6-1), Davina Holtfreter at No.5 (6-2, 6-2), and Lindsay Tworek at No. 6 (6-2, 6-2) to defeat the Lady Cardinals 5-1.

"We played amazingly well, "Missouri Valley College tennis coach Ryan Carney said. " I don't think I've ever had a team more ready to play."