Junior Kaitlyn Martin was a double-winner for the Skyhawks at No. 2 doubles and No. 5 singles. (PHOTO BY Richard Orr) |
Penmen gain inside track on NE-10 title with key victory
EASTON, Mass. (April 4, 2013) – Southern New Hampshire University, ranked seventh in both the NCAA Division II and Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) East Regional rankings, took a big step forward in claiming the Northeast-10 Conference regular season championship with a 6-3 victory over Stonehill College, ranked sixth in both regional polls, in women's tennis action at Charles Watt Tennis Courts this afternoon.
Senior Alena Mukdaprakorn (Hartford, Conn./Kingswood Oxford) and sophomore Diana Vamvakitis (Wading River, N.Y./Westhampton Beach), two regionally-ranked singles players, led Southern New Hampshire to its fifth-straight win with victories at the top flights. The duo are the 22nd-ranked doubles team in Division II by the ITA and ranked second in the region and claimed an 8-5 victory at No. 1 doubles over Stonehill senior Paige Frost (Brigantine, N.J./Holy Spirit) and freshman Kirsti Toegemann (Narragansett, R.I./The Lincoln School), the ninth-ranked doubles team in the East Region. Mukdaprakorn, ranked sixth in the region, claimed a 7-6 (7-4), 6-0 victory over Stonehill freshman Bailey Paradiso (Birmingham, Mich./Marian), ranked 19th in the region, at No. 1 singles. Vamvakitis, ranked 11th in the region, rolled to a 6-1, 6-1 win over Toegemann at No. 2 singles.
Freshman Yolanda Green (Springfield, Mass./Longmeadow) clinched the win for SNHU with her 7-5, 6-4 win over Stonehill senior Chelsea Haedrich (Islip, N.Y./Islip) at No. 6 singles. Senior Amanda Albuquerque (Weymouth, Mass./Weymouth) also picked up a point for the Penmen with her 6-3, 3-6, 10-4 decision over sophomore Meryl Lawrence (North Scituate, R.I./Mount Saint Charles Academy) at No. 3 singles. The loss was the first of Lawrence's career in an NE-10 match, snapping a string of 29-straight Conference wins, including doubles play.
The match turned for Southern New Hampshire when its No. 3 doubles pairing of junior Kirsten Jean (Bedford, N.H./Bedford) and sophomore Jamie Hann (Westhampton, N.Y./Westhampton Beach) rallied from a 7-3 hole against Paradiso and freshman Analise Kump (Falmouth, Maine/Falmouth) to win 9-7 and clinch a 2-1 Penmen advantage after doubles play.
Junior Kaitlyn Martin (Medway, Mass./Medway) was a double-winner for Stonehill. She teamed up with Haedrich for an 8-4 victory over Albuquerque and Green at No. 2 doubles. Martin added a back and forth 6-2, 5-7, 10-4 decision at No. 5 singles over Hann. Frost also claimed a point for the Skyhawks with her 6-1, 6-4 win over Jean at No. 4 singles.
Stonehill (15-3, 8-1 NE-10) is off until Tuesday, when it visits Bentley University for a Northeast-10 matchup at 3 p.m. The Skyhawks return home for its final regular season match of the season as it hosts Merrimack College on Saturday, April 13, at 11 a.m. Southern New Hampshire (13-6, 10-0 NE-10) hosts Merrimack on Saturday at 11 a.m.
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Singles:
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1. Alena Mukdaprakorn (SNH) def. Bailey Paradiso (STO) 7-6 (7-4), 6-0 |
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2. Diana Vamvakitis (SNH) def. Kirsti Toegemann (STO) 6-1, 6-1 |
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3. Amanda Albuquerque (SNH) def. Meryl Lawrence (STO) 6-3, 3-6, 10-4 |
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4. Paige Frost (STO) def. Kirsten Jean (SNH) 6-1, 6-4 |
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5. Kaitlyn Martin (STO) def. Jamie Hann (SNH) 6-2, 5-7, 10-4 |
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6. Yolanda Green (SNH) def. Chelsea Haedrich (STO) 7-5, 6-4 |
*Doubles:
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1. #22 Mukdaprakorn/Vamvakitis (SNH) def. Toegemann/Frost (STO) 8-5 |
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2. Martin/Haedrich (STO) def. Albuquerque/Green (SNH) 8-4 |
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3. Jean/Hann (SNH) def. Paradiso/Analise Kump (STO) 9-7 |
* - doubles matches played first
