Senior Sarah Hickey heads into her fourth postseason after compiling a 35-0 career record in NE-10 singles matches. (PHOTO BY Bert Lane) |
Skyhawks receive first round bye will host NE-10 semifinal Friday at 2 p.m.
EASTON, Mass. (April 16, 2012) – Northeast-10 Conference regular season tri-champions Stonehill College, ranked sixth in the most recent NCAA Division II East Regional rankings, will be the top seed for this week's NE-10 Women's Tennis Tournament.
Stonehill (14-4, 12-1 NE-10) finished in a three way tie for first place in the NE-10 regular season standings with Adelphi University (16-3, 12-1 NE-10) and two-time defending champions Southern New Hampshire University (15-5, 12-1 NE-10), ranked 45th in the most recent ITA national rankings. The Skyhawks received the top seed by a draw after all other NE-10 tiebreaking procedures were exhausted. The three teams all went 1-1 against each other during the regular season, with each match score being 5-4.
Stonehill, which earned a share of its sixth NE-10 regular season championship has received a first round bye with the top seed and will host a semifinal round match at Charles Watt Tennis Courts on Friday, April 20, at 2 p.m. The Skyhawks will face the winner of Wednesday's first round matchup between fourth-seeded Saint Michael's College (12-7, 10-3 NE-10) and fifth-seeded Bentley University (9-11, 9-4 NE-10). The NE-10 Championship, which would be hosted by Stonehill if the Skyhawks win on Friday, will be played on Sunday, April 22, at 1 p.m.
Freshman Meryl Lawrence has been a steady contributer in her first collegiate season at the bottom of the Skyhawks lineup. |
Stonehill, which won its first NE-10 regular season title since 2009, seeks its first tournament championship since that season as well when it captured the first tournament title in program history. The Skyhawks have reached the championship match six times overall, finishing as runners-up five times, including each of the last two seasons to Southern New Hampshire. This marks Stonehill's 13th NE-10 Tournament appearance in program history.
Stonehill is led by seniors Bacall Brooks (York, Maine/St. Thomas Aquinas), Sarah Hickey (Lee, Mass./Lee) and Amy Toegemann (Narragansett, R.I./The Lincoln School) who have been part of three-straight NE-10 tournament championship appearances heading into this week and were freshmen on the 2009 squad that won the regular season and tournament crowns before reaching the NCAA Division II Tournament's "Sweet 16." The Skyhawks have gone a combined 72-16 (.818), including a 48-3 (.941) mark in NE-10 matches, over their career.
Hickey finished with a perfect 35-0 record over her career in NE-10 singles matches, posting a 58-2 career singles mark after winning her first 48 singles matches in her career. She is a combined 20-5 in singles and doubles play this season, posting a 10-2 singles mark, including a 9-0 record in NE-10 matches. She and junior Paige Frost (Brigantine, N.J./Holy Spirit) have posted a 10-3 record at No. 1 doubles, including a 7-2 NE-10 mark.
Toegemann is 43-30 all-time in singles matches over her career, including a 31-13 NE-10 mark, to go with a 68-10 career doubles clip. Brooks is 27-9 in doubles play over her career, including a 19-2 mark in NE-10 matches.
Freshman Meryl Lawrence (North Scituate, R.I./Mount Saint Charles Academy) is a combined 32-4 in singles and doubles play in her first collegiate season. She is 18-2 in singles matches, including a 13-0 NE-10 mark, posting a 10-1 clip at No. 6 and going 5-0 at No. 5. She has posted a 14-2 overall doubles record, teaming up with Toegemann for a 5-0 mark of late at No. 3.
2012 Northeast-10 Conference
Women's Tennis Championship
First Round
Wednesday, April 18 (at higher seeds)
#6 Merrimack (9-13, 8-5 NE-10) at #3 Southern New Hampshire (15-5, 12-1 NE-10), 4 p.m.
#5 Bentley (9-11, 9-4 NE-10) at #4 Saint Michael's (12-7, 10-3 NE-10), 2 p.m.
Semifinals
Friday, April 20 (at higher seeds)
Merrimack/Southern N.H. winner at #2 Adelphi (16-3, 12-1 NE-10), 2 p.m.
Bentley/St. Michael's winner at #1 Stonehill (14-4, 12-1 NE-10), 2 p.m.
Championship
Sunday, April 22 (at highest remaining seed)
Semifinal winners, 1 p.m.
