NE-10 CHAMPIONSHIP: #3 SNHU Claims Third-Straight Title Over #1 Stonehill, 5-1

Freshman Meryl Lawrence captured Stonehill's lone point with a win at No. 5 singles.

Penmen ride 3-0 doubles sweep to championship

EASTON, Mass. (April 22, 2012) – Third-seeded Southern New Hampshire University, ranked 45th in the ITA Division II national rankings and fifth in the NCAA Division II East Regional rankings, captured its third-straight Northeast-10 Conference Women's Tennis Championship with a 5-1 victory over top-seeded Stonehill College, ranked sixth in the region, at Sally Blair Ames Sports Complex this afternoon.

Southern New Hampshire (18-5, 12-1 NE-10) wins its third tournament title in program history, all at the expense of Stonehill (15-5, 12-1 NE-10) over the last three seasons. The Penmen earn the NE-10's automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament, while the Skyhawks await word on an at large bid when selections are announced on Tuesday night. Stonehill was making its NE-10 record seventh championship match appearance after claiming a share of its sixth regular season title with the Penmen and Adelphi University.

NE-10 Championship Most Outstanding Player Alena Mukdaprakorn (Hartford, Conn./Kingswood Oxford) and All-Championship team selection Diana Vamvakitis (Wading River, N.Y./Westhampton Beach) led Southern New Hampshire to the win as double-winners. The duo combined for an 8-2 victory to lead a Penmen sweep of the three doubles matches at No. 1. Vamvakitis followed with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Stonehill freshman Katie Gilligan (Wakefield, R.I./The Prout School) at No. 2 singles before Mukdaprakorn clinched the title with her 7-5, 6-2 win over senior Amy Toegemann (Narragansett, R.I./The Lincoln School) at No. 1.

Seniors Amy Toegemann (l-r), Bacall Brooks and Sarah Hickey accept the runner-up trophy. (PHOTO BY Richard Orr)

Senior Samantha Jean (Bedford, N.H./Manchester West) and freshman Jamie Hann (Westhampton, N.Y./Westhampton Beach) teamed up for an 8-5 win at No. 2 doubles for SNHU, while junior Amanda Albuquerque (Weymouth, Mass./Weymouth) and sophomore Kirsten Jean (Bedford, N.H./Bedford) completed the sweep with their 8-4 win at No. 3.

Stonehill, which led or was tied in each of the three unfinished singles matches, got a point from freshman Meryl Lawrence (North Scituate, R.I./Mount Saint Charles Academy) who defeated Samantha Jean 6-1, 6-0 at No. 5 singles.

Joining Mukdaprakorn and Vamvakitis on the All-Championship team from Southern New Hampshire was Samantha Jean. Senior Sarah Hickey (Lee, Mass./Lee) and junior Paige Frost (Brigantine, N.J./Holy Spirit) represent Stonehill on the All-Championship team.

Southern New Hampshire 5, Stonehill 1

Singles:

1. Alena Mukdaprakorn (SNH) def. Amy Toegemann (STO) 7-5, 6-2

2. Diana Vamvakitis (SNH) def. Katie Gilligan (STO) 6-1, 6-2

3. Paige Frost (STO) vs. Amanda Albuquerque (SNH) 6-4, 6-5, unfinished

4. Sarah Hickey (STO) vs. Jamie Hann (SNH) 4-6, 6-3, unfinished

5. Meryl Lawrence (STO) def. Samantha Jean (SNH) 6-1, 6-0

6. Jacquelyn Harrow (STO) vs. Kirsten Jean (SNH) 6-0, 2-0, unfinished

*Doubles:

1. Mukdaprakorn/Vamvakitis (SNH) def. Frost/Hickey (STO) 8-2

2. Hann/S. Jean (SNH) def. Harrow/Bacall Brooks (STO) 8-5

3. Albuquerque/K. Jean (SNH) def. Toegemann/Lawrence (STO) 8-4