Box Score ST. PETER, Minn. – Last year, Sabrina Tang '23 sneaked up on the field en route to winning the ITA Midwest Regional singles tennis championship.
 
This year, Tang didn't have that luxury by entering the tourney as the top seed. But the Grinnell College senior delivered all the same, again winning the crown Monday morning at Gustavus Adolphus College. By virtue of the ITA title, Tang has now earned All-America honors for the second year in a row.
 
"Last year I didn't expect to win the ITA, but this year I knew it was something I could do," said Tang. "I didn't want to put too much pressure on myself this year, but I knew that it would be a long journey to the championship. Winning last year gave me the confidence I needed to stay mentally tough throughout the long matches."
 
After winning the first set 7-5 against second-seeded Kelsey Dorr, the St. Catherine University player rallied for a 7-6 win in the second set. However, Tang put to rest any upset chances by Dorr with a 6-2 victory in the deciding set.
 
"Our games were super close throughout the match, with most of our games being decided on deuce points," said the GC player. "The outcome of the sets came down to winning key points. During the third set, I won more of those key points just by keeping a strong focus and willingness to outlast my opponent on long rallies."
 
Both players advance to the prestigious ITA Cup, which is slated for next month in Rome, Ga. Tang competed in both that and the NCAA Division III Tournament last season.
 
"Playing at those tournaments allowed me to get experience playing against top competition and stay focused during high-pressure matches," Tang explained. "I'm super excited to get another chance to play at the ITA Cup because it is such a fun venue! My goal there is to play confidently and be proud of the way I compete."
 
Tang also made mention of Grinnell's overall success as a team at the Midwest Regional. "I really enjoyed cheering my teammates on throughout the weekend and I'm super grateful that a lot of them could be there to cheer me on today," said Tang. "It was great to see our work on not only singles but also doubles pay off with getting a team through to the semifinals!"