FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 27, 2014
Courtesy of Merrimack Athletics Communications
MIDDLETON, Mass. - Top-seeded Merrimack College won the 2014 Northeast-10 Conference Women's Tennis Championship on Sunday evening with a 5-3 victory over second-seeded Adelphi University at the Northeast Tennis Center in Middleton.
Northeast-10 Player and Rookie of the Year Grace Messina pulled out a 6-1, 3-6, 6-1 win at No. 1 singles to clinch the match.
The Warriors secured their first Northeast-10 title since 2002 and improved to 15-4 on the season, as they clinched an automatic NCAA berth in the process with the victory.
Senior Kara Hole earned the NE-10 Championship's Most Valuable Player award while juniors Shakee Messina and Rachel Muller were named to the All-Championship team.
The first match to finish came at No. 2 doubles, as an 8-2 win for junior Chealsey Giatrelis and Hole over Adelphi's Charlotte Moreau and Katarina Barborikova put the host on top, 1-0. However, the Panthers claimed both matches at No. 1 and No. 3 doubles to take the lead heading into singles play.
G. Messina and S. Messina picked up the lost at No. 1 doubles while Muller and senior Alyx Barnes picked up the loss at No. 3 doubles.
With the Panthers up 2-1, S. Messina prevailed at No. 3 singles with a 7-5, 6-0 victory over Joanna Haich, tying the match at 2-2. Shortly after, Adelphi regained the lead (3-2) after Jennifer Ferguson picked up with 6-1, 7-6 win at No. 6 singles over Barnes.
However, Merrimack came together and captured two wins at No. 5 and No. 4 singles to take a 4-3 lead over Adelphi. Muller tied the match at 3-3 as the junior captured the 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-5) win over Taylor King. Hole defeated Gaby Adia in four sets at No. 4, 7-6 (8-6), 3-6, 6-2, to give the Warriors the lead.
2014 Northeast-10 All-Championship Team
Gaby Adia, Adelphi
Jennifer Ferguson, Adelphi
Kara Hole, Merrimack – MVP
Rachel Muller, Merrimack
Shakee Messina, Merrimack
Diana Vamvakitis, Southern New Hampshire
Kaitlyn Martin, Stonehill
Most Valuable Player - Kara Hole
2014 Northeast-10 Championship Results
Wednesday, April 23 – First Round | RECAP
#3 Stonehill 5, #6 Bentley 0 | BOX
#5 Southern New Hampshire 5, #4 Saint Michael's 0 | BOX
Friday, April 25 – Semifinals
#1 Merrimack 5, #5 Southern New Hampshire 3 | BOX
#2 Adelphi 5, #3 Stonehill 1 | BOX
Sunday, April 27 – Championship
#1 Merrimack 5, #2 Adelphi 3 | BOX
– #NE10 –
