Southern Indiana Holds Off Women's Tennis, 5-4


Vo posted wins at No. 1 doubles and No. 2 singles, grinding out a three-set singles win. (PHOTO BY Jan Volk/SportsPix)

Brannon clinches deciding point with three set win at No. 4 singles

ORLANDO, Fla. (March 9, 2017) – The University of Southern Indiana made a 2-1 edge after doubles play stand in recording a 5-4 victory over Stonehill College, ranked fifth in the Oracle/Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division II East Regional rankings, at the USTA National Campus today.

Southern Indiana held off Stonehill in singles play, in which five of the six matches went three sets. Senior Kymberly Brannon (Louisville, Kentucky/Eastern) won the deciding point for the Screaming Eagles by edging out Stonehill junior Emma Prinos (Foxboro, Massachusetts/Foxboro) in a back and forth three-set match, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5. Junior Kelsey Shipman (Olney, Illinois/East Richland) also claimed a three-set win for USI, clipping junior Victoria Barbetta (Wesley Chapel, Florida/Saddlebrook Prep) 6-3, 1-6, 6-1 at No. 1 singles.

Freshman Alex Jamison (Floyds Knobs, Indiana/Floyds Central) earned singles and doubles wins for Southern Indiana. She combined with junior Jennifer Mizikar (Batavia, Illinois/Batavia) for an 8-5 win at No. 3 doubles and then added a 6-3, 6-1 win at No. 5 singles against freshman Annelise Howick (Jacksonville, Florida/Creekside).

Freshman Alexandra Vo (Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania/Nazareth Academy) was a double-winner to lead Stonehill. She and Barbetta earned the Skyhawks lone doubles point with an 8-5 win at No. 1. Vo followed that up by rallying for a three-set triumph at No. 2 singles against senior Brenna Wu (Evansville, Indiana/Memorial), taking the second set in a tiebreaker (7-5) after dropping the first set 6-4 and then winning the third set 6-3.

Sophomore Nicole Downey (Groveland, Massachusetts/Pentucket Regional) and freshman Caroline Ray (Falmouth, Massachusetts/Falmouth) also earned hard fought three-set wins for Stonehill. Downey rallied from dropping the first set 6-1 to freshman Lauren Hambrock (Terre Haute, Indiana/South Vigo), taking the match 6-4, 6-4 in the second and third sets. Ray also rallied from a set down to win at No. 6 singles, 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 against junior Haley Jones (Fort Branch, Indiana/North).

Stonehill (13-5, 11-1 NE10) is off until Sunday, April 9, when it visits Goldey-Beacom College, ranked third in the East Region, for a key non-conference battle at 11 a.m. Southern Indiana (4-4, 0-0 GLVC) faces Bentley University tomorrow at 11 a.m.

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