CLAREMONT, Calif. – Wrapping up one of the most decorated careers in Christopher Newport athletics history, senior Raine Weis shined in a pair of impressive showings on Saturday at the NCAA Division III Singles and Doubles Championships. Weis, along with doubles partner Kylie Schaefer, concluded the season on the opening day of the postseason event at the Biszantz Family Tennis Center at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.
 
During the morning, Weis competed against MIT freshman Fiona Lee in singles play, falling in a 5-7, 6-4, 6-0 final score. In the afternoon session, Schaefer and Weis battled against Case Western Reserve duo Lily McCloskey and Katalina Wang before falling in a three-setter, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1.
 
Making history with a 6-3 win in their first set, Schaefer and Weis became the first Captains' tandem to win a set at the NCAA Division III Doubles Championship. Weis, making her third career appearance, and Schaefer, in her debut showing, raced out to an early lead against their opponents from Case Western Reserve, ranked No. 24 in the nation. The CNU pairing blitzed out to a 5-2 lead and finished off the first set win, 6-3.
 
The second set followed the same script, but in favor of the Spartans as McCloskey and Wang jumped out to a 5-2 lead. Schaefer and Weis broke to pull within two games, but the match evened up at one set apiece when the Case pair won the second set, 6-3.
 
The match would go to a decisive third set where Case held serve first and an early break got the Spartans out in front, 2-0. The lead grew to four, with another break, and the Captains were in desperate need of a win with Wang back on the service line. A beautiful front-court volley from Schaefer turned the game around and CNU drew even at 15-all. From there, the Captains rolled to the break and picked up their first game of the third set.
 
With Weis back to serve, the Captains nearly held on a beautiful forehand winner by Weis right down the middle, but on game point, an unlucky bounce off the tape caught Schaefer off guard and a desperation swing landed just long. With McCloskey and Wang rebounding for another win, the Spartans pulled just one game shy of the match victory, taking a 5-1 lead. Case held on for the win and advanced to the second round with a 6-1 win in the third set.
 
Earlier in the day, Weis became just second player since the turn of the century to win a set at the NCAA Division III Women's Singles Championship when she earned a 7-5 win over Lee on Saturday. She joins Reagan Delp, who captured a first round victory in 2021. Prior to 2000, the Captains got wins from Vicki Nebinger in 1982 and Amy Lawrence in 1992.
 
Taking on the hometown freshman from MIT, Weis took an early lead with the first set victory. During a pivotal seventh game in the first set, Weis earned a hard-fought break coming back after falling behind love-30. After clawing back to an advantage point, her MIT opponent double faulted into the net to secure the lead, 4-3.
 
The CNU senior went on to win the first set, 7-5, but Lee held off her Captains counterpart for a 6-4 win in the second set After capturing momentum, Lee finished off the opening round win over Weis by a final score of 5-7, 6-4, 6-0.
 
Weis concludes her national championship appearance as a record-breaking athlete for the Captains. She is the first student-athlete to qualify for the NCAA Singles Championship three times in her career. The three-time Conference Player of the Year wrapped up her illustrious tenure with 55 career singles wins, ranking fifth all-time, and 65 career doubles victories, second most in CNU history.
 
Schaefer becomes just the seventh Captain to compete at the NCAA Division III Women's Individual Championships. She is the third CNU player to participate in the Doubles Championship, joining Weis and former legend Tessa Trate.