INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — From the moment the Earlham College men's tennis team took the courts at the West Indy Racquet Club on Sunday the Quakers knew what was in front of them.

"We came out ready to go and our intensity was extremely high," Earlham Head Coach Adam Van Zee said.

The end result was a 5-1 victory over Transylvania University to claim the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament championship.

"It's definitely a tribute to all of the hard work by the guys," said Van Zee, who was named HCAC Coach of the Year. "We've had this goal from day one."

"We hit some bumps here and there, but we were able to pull together," Van Zee added. "The guys have been incredible."

Earlham (17-3) is now among the 44 teams that will compete in the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament beginning on May 13. This is the first time any Earlham team has qualified for a NCAA Tournament by winning a conference title. This tennis team is the second to make a NCAA field with the 1998 men's soccer squad being the other.

"The guys understand the accomplishment," Van Zee said. "We're excited about it and hopefully, there is more to come."

Sunday began with a tight doubles round with the Pioneers (10-5), who had won the previous eight HCAC post-season crowns.

"Sweeping doubles was huge," Van Zee said. "We pulled out two tiebreakers and that is a huge boost."

Henry Levin (Dallas, TX, Highland Park) and Johnny Kauffman (Goshen, IN, Bethany Christian) defeated Will Palmer and Tyler Pewitt 8-5 at No. 1.

At No. 2, Brad Maisey (Mount Maunganui, New Zealand, Tauranga Boys) and Mike Von Vogt (South Bristol, ME, Lincoln Academy) beat Keith Henderson and Pat Richardson 9-8 (3) in a tiebreaker.

The other tiebreaker was at No. 3 as Andrey Gavrilov (Yaroslavl, Russia, Universal) and Scott Lawrence (Letchworth, England, Cheam)outlasted Joseph Glass and Jett Glass 9-8 (1).

After doubles, the Quakers needed only a pair of victories in singles to take the title and win their ninth match in a row.

"We had too much momentum for us to not go out and do it," Van Zee said. "Everybody's first set was pretty intense and we won at four of the six spots. Once they knew that they didn't have to win their spot, the pressure was off and the guys could play a little looser."

The first win in singles came from Von Vogt, who beat Jett Glass 6-4, 6-2 at No. 5.

The match clinching victory was from Maisey at No. 3. He beat Joseph Glass 6-4, 6-2.

In addition to Van Zee's post-season honor from the conference, Levin, Gavrilov and Maisey were selected to the All-HCAC First Team.

Lawrence, Von Vogt and Kauffman were named All-HCAC Honorable Mention.

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