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The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women's tennis team claimed its 14th consecutive Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship Sunday by defeating UW-La Crosse 5-1 in the final of the conference tournament presented by Culver's.
 
The Warhawks (12-5 overall) earned their 21st conference championship in program history and clinch the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament. UW-W also extended its active winning streak against WIAC opponents in dual matches to 110.
 
UW-Whitewater started the dual with two doubles victories. Paige Nierman (Hawthorn Woods, Ill./Stevenson) and Olivia Kraft (Bloomington, Ill./Normal Community) topped Hannah Reigle and Kaitlyn Kalinka by an 8-4 score at the second position, and Molly Rueth (Wheaton, Ill./Glenbard West) and Courtney Day (Oshkosh, Wis./North) combined for an 8-4 triumph at the third position.
 
The Eagles (10-5) broke a 6-6 tie at No. 1 doubles by taking the last two games to draw within 2-1 heading into singles play.
 
The Warhawks struck first in singles as Sabrina Palavra (Skokie, Ill./Niles North) posted a 6-1, 6-0 win at No. 4. Nierman made it a 4-1 UW-W lead with a 6-1, 6-2 victory at No. 2.
 
Rueth clinched the dual and the championship with a 6-4, 6-4 triumph at No. 5.
 
Kraft and Jessica Minkov (Schiller Park, Ill./East Leyden) led their matches at Nos. 3 and 6, respectively, when play was halted.
 
The NCAA Regionals are set for May 14-16 at sites around the country. The full NCAA Tournament field will be announced May 10 via press release on NCAA.com.