Senior Analise Kump helped post a key win at No. 2 doubles and then added a point at No. 3 singles. |
Prinos provides Skyhawks clinching point for second straight match
MANCHESTER, N.H. (October 23, 2015) – Third-seeded Stonehill College, ranked sixth in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division II East Regional rankings, punched its ticket to a Conference record tenth Northeast-10 Championship match with a 5-3 victory over second-seeded Southern New Hampshire University, ranked seventh in the region, in semifinal round action at SNHU Tennis Courts this afternoon.
Stonehill (13-3, 10-2 NE-10) advances to Sunday's NE-10 Championship at top-seeded and regular season champions Adelphi University (14-0, 12-0 NE-10) at 1p.m. The Skyhawks seek their second straight NE-10 Tournament championship, third in four years and sixth title overall on Sunday. The Panthers advanced to the championship match with a 5-0 sweep of fourth-seeded Merrimack College in today's other semifinal. Southern New Hampshire finishes its fall season with an 11-2 record overall, including 11-1 in NE-10 play.
Senior Analise Kump (Falmouth, Maine/Falmouth) and sophomore Victoria Barbetta (Wesley Chapel, Florida/Saddlebrook Prep) led Stonehill as double-winners to clinch its third postseason win over Southern New Hampshire over the past three seasons – the second straight in the semifinals on the road. The duo delivered a clutch 2-1 edge for the Skyhawks following doubles play with their 8-4 decision over Nour Kaddour (Paris, France) and Yolanda Green (Springfield, Massachusetts/Longmeadow) at No. 2.
SNHU had posted the first doubles win of the match as Ashley Loft (Leysin, Switzterland) and Kaitlyn Poje (East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania/East Stroudsburg South) registered an 8-1 victory at No. 1, before Stonehill senior Kirsti Toegemann (Narragansett, Rhode Island/The Lincoln School) and freshman Nicole Downey (Groveland, Massachusetts/Pentucket Regional) evened the match with their 8-2 win at No. 3.
Kump earned Stonehill's first singles win as she cruised past Green 6-0, 6-2 at No. 3 and then Barbetta drew the Skyhawks within a point of the championship match with a 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 triumph at No. 4 against Poje for her tenth straight singles win. Sophomore Emma Prinos (Foxboro, Massachusetts/Foxboro) clinched the postseason win for the second straight match as she swept past freshman Rachel Wagner (Framingham, Massachusetts/Framingham) at No. 6 singles 6-2, 6-2.
Loft was a double-winner for SNHU, following up the win at No. 1 doubles with a 6-3, 6-0 win at No. 2 singles over Toegemann. Kaddour added a 6-1, 6-2 decision at No. 1 singles against Stonehill senior Bailey Paradiso (Birmingham, Michigan/Marian) for the Penmen.
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