O'Donnell posted the Skyhawks point in singles play with a straight-sets win at No. 6. |
Skyhawks sweep doubles matches, but can't make it stand in singles
FLUSHING, N.Y. (April 29, 2018) – Second-seeded Queens (N.Y.) College, ranked No. 44 in the Oracle/Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division II national rankings, overcame a 3-0 deficit following doubles play to claim a 5-4 triumph over sixth-seeded and No. 46-ranked Stonehill College in second round action of the 2018 NCAA Division II Tournament East Regional at the Queens Tennis Center this afternoon.
Queens (11-4, 7-0 ECC) advances to the NCAA Division II Women's Tennis Championships in Surprise, Arizona, May 8-11, for the second straight year. Stonehill, which was seeking a return to the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2009, finishes its season with a 15-5 record overall, including 12-0 in the Northeast-10 Conference to capture its eighth NE10 regular season championship, having made its 12th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history.
Sophomore Louisa Brunetti (Stockholm, Sweden), ranked No. 16 in the latest Oracle/ITA East Region singles rankings, capped the Queens rally with a comeback of her own at No. 3 singles. She battled back from a set down for a dramatic 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-3 victory over Stonehill freshman Isabelle Porter (Jupiter, Florida/William T. Dwyer) to provide the winning point.
Stonehill held a 3-0 lead after winning all three doubles matches in the contest. Sophomores Alexandra Vo (Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania/Nazareth Academy) and Annelise Howick (Jacksonville, Florida/Creekside) posted a huge 8-6 win at No. 1 doubles for the Skyhawks, defeating juniors Rashad Reehan (Alexandria, Egypt) and Laura Ortega Jover (Cuenca, Spain), ranked No. 9 in the Oracle/ITA East Region doubles rankings. Senior Victoria Barbetta (Wesley Chapel, Florida/Saddlebrook Prep (Fla.)) and freshman Kate Cunningham (Somerset, England/IMG Academy (Fla.)) won at No. 2 doubles for the Skyhawks, while sophomore Caroline Ray (Falmouth, Maine/Falmouth) and freshman Bethany Hammond (Belgrade, Florida/St. Dominic) posted a win at No. 3.
Reehan, ranked No. 3 in the Oracle/ITA East Region singles rankings, got the Queens comeback started with her 6-4, 6-2 win at No. 1 singles against Barbetta. Senior Emy Aplund (Engelberg, Switzerland) knotted the match at 3-3 with her 6-0, 6-4 win at No. 4 singles over Cunningham, and then Ortega Jover pushed the Knights in front (4-3) with her 6-3, 6-1 win against Vo at No. 2.
Senior Colleen O'Donnell (Waterville, Maine/Waterville) pulled Stonehill even at four matches apiece with her 6-2, 7-5 victory at No. 6 singles against sophomore Ruth Artaza Martin (Bilbao, Spain) for the Skyhawks lone point in singles play.
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