Courtesy: liuathletics.com
4/19/2009
West Windsor, N.J. - Led by a strong all-around effort, the Long Island University women’s tennis team knocked off top-seeded Quinnipiac, 4-1, to claim its first-ever Northeast Conference Championship. The Blackbirds finally got over the title hump after falling to the Bobcats in the last five NEC championship matches.
The day got off to a good start for Long Island as juniors Selma Babic and H’Ann Johnson ousted the Quinnipiac duo of Mary Wilson and Adrienne Markison, 8-1, at the top doubles spot. The Blackbirds earned the all-important doubles point when the No. 2 team of seniors Ashley Harvey and Amy Hosotsuji defeated Natalie Duckor and Lisanne Steinert, 8-3.
In singles action, Babic put away Wilson at No. 1 by a 6-4, 6-1 margin, giving Long Island a 2-0 lead in the match. Minutes later, Duckor defeated Johnson at the third spot, 6-3, 6-2 as Harvey was about to serve match point in her No. 2 match against Markison. Harvey won the point, taking the match 6-4, 6-1, leaving the Blackbirds feeling good with a 3-1 lead.
Just as Harvey had finished off her win, Hosotsuji, who had been leading her match against Nicole Adams, was seen heading down the hill from the No. 6 court, victorious with a 6-1, 6-3 decision. Upon seeing Hosotsuji’s triumphant trek down the hill, Long Island realized that the match was over and the Blackbirds had captured their first conference crown.
Long Island will await the announcement of the NCAA Tournament bracket on Tuesday, April 28 at approximately 5:20 p.m. on ESPNews. The first and second rounds will start on May 8.
#2 Long Island 4, #1 Quinnipiac 1
Singles
1. BABIC, Selma (LIU) def. WILSON, Mary (QU) 6-4, 6-1
2. HARVEY, Ashley (LIU) def. MARKISON, Adrienne (QU) 6-4, 6-1
3. DUCKOR, Natalie (QU) def. JOHNSON, H'Ann (LIU) 6-3, 6-2
4. STEINERT, Lisanne (QU) vs. ELIE, Stephanie (LIU) 7-6 (7-3), 0-4, unfinished
5. ROSENBERGER, Kasey (QU) vs. LAHENS, Dara (LIU) 6-7, 5-2, unfinished
6. HOSOTSUJI, Amy (LIU) def. ADAMS, Nicole (QU) 6-1, 6-3
Doubles
1. BABIC, Selma/JOHNSON, H'Ann (LIU) def. WILSON, Mary/MARKISON, Adrienne (QU) 8-1
2. HARVEY, Ashley/HOSOTSUJI, Amy (LIU) def. DUCKOR, Natalie/STEINERT, Lisanne (QU) 8-3
3. ROSENBERGER, Kasey/ADAMS, Nicole (QU) vs. ELIE, Stephanie/LAHENS, Dara (LIU) 5-7, unfinished
