10.18.11 - FOUR NAMED ALL-CONFERENCE FOR MANCHESTER
Transylvania University’s Kelsey Fulkerson (Lexington, Ky./Dunbar) has been named the 2011 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference women’s tennis Most Valuable Player for the second consecutive year.  Fulkerson is the only Transylvania women’s tennis player to claim a MVP award.

Fulkerson completed her senior season with an overall dual match record of 14-2, while finishing the conference season with a 13-1 mark.  Fulkerson finished 8-0, 7-0 HCAC at No. 1 singles and 6-2, 6-1 HCAC at No. 1 doubles this fall. She posted a 2-0 mark at No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles during the HCAC tournament this past weekend, leading the Pioneers to the title.

Fourteen other players join Fulkerson on the All-HCAC first team, including five other seniors, five juniors, and four sophomores. Anderson’s Alex Hammel (Anderson, Ind.) and Courtney Postmus (Kalamazoo, Mich.), Earlham’s Alex Softness (Atlanta, Ga.), Franklin’s Heather Pasek (Villa Hills, Ky.), Hanover’s Allie Gullett (Lexington, Ky.) and Danielle Miller (Fairway, Kan.), Manchester’s April Erxleben (Decatur, Ind.), Kara Gilley (Plymouth, Ind.), and Alli Heeter (Nappanee, Ind.), Rose-Hulman’s Marie Stettler (Edgerton, Wis.), Sage Sackett (Kalamazoo, Mich.), and Melissa Montgomery (Alexandria, Ind.), and Transylvania’s Stephanie Townsend (Goshen, Ky.) and Kaitlyn Hizny (Owensboro, Ky.) have been named to this year’s team.

Franklin’s Bethany Harris (Avon, Ind./H.S.) was named the conference’s Freshman of the Year.  Harris finished with a 13-8 overall conference record during the regular season and claimed an 8-0 HCAC record at No. 4 singles and a 4-5 mark at No. 1 doubles for the Grizzlies.  She won her only completed singles match at the HCAC tournament in FC’s 5-4 win over Hanover.

10.15.11 - SPARTANS FALL TO ANDERSON IN HCAC CHAMPIONSHIPS QUARTERFINALS
Manchester's women's tennis team fell to fifth seed Anderson at the 2011 HCAC Championships on Saturday, Oct. 15.

Anderson took two of three doubles matches, with the lone winner for MC coming at two doubles from Alli Heeter and Brandy Leeper in an 8-3 decision. In singles play, Heeter posted a three singles win, Ashley McClintic took a win at five singles and Jillian Bower posted a victory at six singles.

Manchester finishes the year 7-8 overall and fourth in the conference standings.

10.9.11 - MC CLOSES REGULAR SEASON WIHT 6-3 WIN OVER FRANKLIN
Manchester's women's tennis team wrapped up the regular season on Sunday with a 6-3 conference win over Franklin.

Winners for Manchester were all three doubles teams, consisting of April Erxleben and Kara Gilley at one doubles, Alli Heeter and Brandy Leeper at two doubles and Ashley McClintic and Jillian Bower at three doubles. Heeter picked up a win at three singles, as did McClintic at five singles and Abby Berry at six singles.

Manchester moves its record to 7-7 on the year, and 6-3 in the conference. They will take part in the HCAC Tournament this Saturday and Sunday in Indianapolis.

10.8.11 - ROSE-HULMAN DEFEATS MC 6-3
Manchester's volleyball team fell to Rose-Hulman 6-3 in conference action Saturday afternoon. Manchester got wins at two singles from Kara Gilley, three singles by Alli Heeter and at six singles from Ashley McClintic. The volleyball team falls to 6-7 overall, 5-3 in the conference. They will wrap up conference play on Sunday as they travel to Franklin, and head into the HCAC Tournament championships next weekend.

10.5.11 - SPARTANS TOP ANDERSON 5-4
Manchester's women's tennis team picked up a 5-4 win over Anderson on Wednesday. winners for Manchester were Brandy Leeper and Alli Heeter at two doubles, Alyssa Dibley and Ashley McClintic at three doubles, Kara Gilley at two singles, Heeter at three singles and McClintic at six singles.

Manchester improves to 5-6 on the year, 4-2 in the HCAC. They will play at home on Saturday as they face Rose-Hulman startinag at 10 a.m. and will travel to Franklin for a make-up match on Sunday.

10.1.11 - MC POSTS 9-0 WIN OVER MOUNT ST. JOSEPH
Manchester's women's tennis team picked up a 9-0 shutout win over Mount St. Joseph in action Saturday. Manchester had wins from April Erxleben and Kara Gilley at one doubles, Alyssa Dibley and Ashley McClintic at two doubles and three doubles Allie Heeter and Brandy Leeper won by forfeit at three doubles.

Erxleben, Gilley, Heeter, Leeper, Jillian Bower and McClintic each had wins in singles play, with McClintic picking up a win by forfeit.

Manchester moves to 4-6 on the year, 3-2 in the HCAC. They will be in action again on Monday at home as they host Franklin in a previously rained out match. They travel to Anderson on Wednesday and will be at home on Saturday to face Rose-Hulman on Homecoming Saturday.

9.28.11 - BETHEL TOPS MANCHESTER 8-1
Manchester's women's tennis team dropped an 8-1 decision to Bethel on Wednesday, as rain conditions forced the contest to the YMCA Courts in Warsaw.

Alli Heeter and Brandy Leeper were the lone winners for Manchester, picking up an 8-1 win at two doubles. Manchester drops to 3-6 on the year and resumes conference play on Thursday as they travel to Bluffton.

9.26.11 - SPARTANS FALL TO GRACE 5-4
MC's women's tennis team fell to Grace College 5-4 in action at Manchester on Monday.

MC took two of three doubles matches, as one doubles duo April Erxleben and Kara Gilley won 8-6, while Alyssa Dibley and Ashley McClintic won at three doubles 8-2.
The Spartans had wins at three singles from Brandy Leeper and at five singles by McClintic.

The Spartans fall to 3-4 on the year and will be in action Wednesday at home to face Bethel.

9.25.11 - HANOVER TOPS MC 5-4 IN CONFERENCE PLAY
The women's tennis team fell to Hanover 5-4 in conference action Sunday afternoon. Manchester took two wins at doubles, as Alli Heeter and Brandy Leeper posted a 9-7 win at two doubles and Alyssia Dibley and Ashley McClintic won at three doubles, 8-4.

Winners in singles action included Kara Gilley at two singles and Jillian Bower at six singles.

Manchester drops to 3-3 on the year and 2-2 in the HCAC. They will host Grace on Monday.

9.24.11 - SPARTANS PICK UP 7-2 WIN AT EARLHAM
Manchester's women's tennis team picked up its second straight conference win on Saturday following a 7-2 win at Earlham.

Alli Heeter and Brandy Leeper posted an 8-2 win at two doubles, while Alyssa Dibley and Ashley McCLintic had an 8-3 win at three doubles. Kara Gilley, Heeter, Leeper, Dibley and Jillian Bower posted wins at two through six singles to give MC the 7-2 win.

Manchester improves to 3-3 on the year, 2-1 in the conference. They will travel play Hanover in Indianapolis on Sunday.

9.20.11 - MANCHESTER POSTS FIRST CONFERENCE WIN AFTER 9-0 SHUTOUT OVER DEFIANCE
Manchester's women's tennis team notched its first conference win of the season Wednesday following a 9-0 home win over Defiance.

Manchester took all three doubles matches, with April Erxleben and Kara Gilley taking one doubles 8-5. Alli Heeter and Brandy Leeper were 8-1 winners at two doubles, and Alyssa Dibley and Ashley McClintic won by default.

In singles play, Erxleben rallied to pull off a 1-6, 7-6 (9), (10-4) decision at one singles. Gilley was a winner at two singles 6-3, 6-0, Heeter won 6-2, 6-0 at three singles, Leeper posted a 6-0, 6-0 win at four singles, Dibley won 6-1, 6-2 and Jillian Bower won by default at six singles.

Manchester moves to 2-3 on the year and 1-1 in the HCAC. They will travel to Earlham on Saturday.

9.17.11 - MC FALLS IN CONFERENCE OPENER TO TRANSYLVANIA 7-2
Manchester's women's tennis team opened conference play on Saturday, falling to host Transylvania 7-2.

Winners for Manchester were Brandy Leeper and Ashley McClintic at three doubles, and Leeper picked up a 6-3, 6-1 win at four singles for Manchester.

The Spartans fall to 1-3 on the year, 0-1 in conference play. They will host Defiance on Wednesday before travelling to Earlham on Saturday and Hanover on Sunday.

9.1.11 - SPARTANS POST SEASON OPENING WIN OVER GOSHEN 7-2
The women's tennis team opened up the 2011 season with a 7-2 win at Goshen on Thursday.

Winners for Manchester included April Erxleben and Kara Gilley with a 9-7 win at one doubles, Alli Heeter and Alyssa Dibley, who posted an 8-1 win at two doubles and Brandy Leeper and Ashley McCLintic, who were 8-2 winners at three doubles.

The Spartans took four of the six single flights, led by Gilley at two singles, Leeper at four singles, Dibley at five singles and Jillian Bower at six singles.

The Spartans go to 1-0 on the year, and will be in action Wednesday at home as they face Bethel starting at 4 p.m.

8.31.11 - TENNIS GETS UNDERWAY THURSDAY AT GOSHEN
The Manchester College women’s tennis team is looking to get back to its championship form, and despite having just one senior on the squad, fourth year head coach Eric Christiansen likes the direction his team is heading.
“We are still a young team, but we have a lot of talent and experience,” Christiansen said. 
After winning seven straight conference championships, the Spartans struggled to a 1-7 record in 2009 but bounced back to a 5-3 mark in 2010 before falling to Rose-Hulman in the HCAC Automatic Qualifier Tournament.
The Spartans return all six singles players from last season, and lost just one half of the three doubles team in Emily Vail.
Leading the way for Manchester is senior April Erxleben who returns at one singles and one doubles.  Sophomore Kara Gilley will team up with Erxleben at one doubles, and returns at two singles.
Juniors Alli Heeter and Alyssa Dibley return as the two doubles team, and will make their mark in the singles line up.
Sophomore Brandy Leeper and Jillian Bower also return, along with sophomore Ashley McClintic, who joined the team last spring and played in the varsity line up. 
Also returning are sophomores Abby Beery and Amanda Keating, along with freshmen Amy Siefer, Taylor Milner and Hawaii Ryder.
“Our goal is to get back to the NCAA tournament, and we have worked hard this preseason to take the first step in getting there,” Christiansen said.  “We finished fourth last season in the HCAC, but any of the top seven teams could knock off the others, and I don’t expect it to be much different this season.  It’s going to be a matter of staying healthy, working hard, and focusing on the task at hand.”
The Spartans were picked to finish third in a preseason poll among the 10 HCAC head coaches.  Rose-Hulman was the pick to win the conference, with Transylvania selected second.
Manchester opens the season at Goshen on Thursday, September 1. Their home opener is Wednesday, September 7, and they open conference play the following week, Wednesday, September 14 at home against Franklin at 6:00 p.m.

10.13.10 - CHRISTIANSEN NAMED C0-COACH OF THE YEAR, ERXLEBEN NAMED ALL-CONFERENCE FOR HCAC
Manchester College junior April Erxleben was named to the 2010 Women's Tennis All-Conference team, while head coach Eric Christiansen was named Co-Conference Coach of the Year.

Erxleben spent all season at the number one singles and doubles spot for Manchester, and finished second at one doubles at the HCAC Flighted Tournament. Christiansen helped MC turn a 1-6 conference record in 2009 to a 5-3 HCAC finish, good enough for fourth place in the league standings. Manchester finished 6-7 overall on the year.

The Spartans compete in the HCAC Automatic Qualifier Tournament this Friday and Saturday in Indianapolis.

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