Solorzano Valencia was a double-winner for the Skyhawks (PHOTO BY Doug Monson/Stonehill Athletics) |
Ravens claim first NCAA East Regional title, trip to NCAA II Championships
FLUSHING, N.Y. (May 11, 2021) – Second-seeded Franklin Pierce University, ranked No. 48 in the Oracle/Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division II National Rankings, captured its first regional championship in program history with a 4-2 decision over fourth-seeded Stonehill College on day two of the 2021 NCAA Division II East Regional Championship, hosted by Queens (N.Y.) College, at the QC Tennis Center this afternoon.
Franklin Pierce (14-0, 9-0 NE10) advances to the NCAA Division II Championships, being held at the Surprise Tennis & Racquet Complex, in Surprise, Arizona, May 19-21, for a national quarterfinal round match. Stonehill finishes its season with an 11-4 record overall, including 8-2 in the NE10, earning its 15th NCAA Tournament bid and advancing to the "Sweet 16" round for the second time in program history after its 4-3 triumph over top-seeded and No. 28-ranked Concordia (N.Y.) College in last night's first round.
Highlights
- A day after Stonehill clinched its NCAA Tournament first round match in a third-set tiebreaker, the Skyhawks season came to a close with Franklin Pierce postgrad Himani Mor clinching the match in the same fashion.
- Postgrad Estela Carra and freshman Zoe Asterio Correa were both double-winners for Franklin Pierce in the victory.
- Sophomore Laura Alvarez Tello and freshman Maria Penalver Aguilo earned a doubles win for Franklin Pierce.
- Sophomore Cristina Solorzano Valencia, ranked No. 6 in the most recent Oracle/ITA Division II East Region singles rankings, was a double-winner for Stonehill with victories at No. 1 singles and doubles.
- Junior Emma Markaryan added a win at No. 4 singles for Stonehill, while senior Isabelle Porter was up 5-4 in the third set at No. 3 singles when the match was ended with Mor's victory at No. 2.
Markaryan posted a win at No. 4 singles (PHOTO BY Doug Monson/Stonehill Athletics) |
How it Happened
- Carra and Asterio Correa clinched the doubles point for Franklin Pierce holding off a comeback bid at No. 3 doubles by Stonehill's Markaryan and sophomore Lily Peter, 7-5.
- Penalver Aguilo and Alvarez Tello posted the first doubles win at No. 2, before Solorzano Valencia and sophomore Steffi Antao evened doubles play with their 6-4 triumph at No. 1 against Mor and sophomore Liria Loria, the No. 8-ranked doubles team in the East Region.
- Franklin Pierce's lead extended to 3-0 when Carra picked up a point at No. 5 singles when Stonehill junior Samantha Ormesher was forced to retire after the first set with an injury sustained during doubles play.
- Asterio Correa added a 6-3, 6-2 victory at No. 6 singles against Peter to draw Franklin Pierce within a point of the title.
- However, Stonehill was in the remaining four singles matches, two of which would head to a third set. Solorzano Valencia put the Skyhawks on the board with her 6-3, 6-4 victory at No. 1 singles against Penalver Aguilo.
- Markaryan finished off a 6-4, 6-4 decision at No. 4 singles against Alvarez Tello as the matches at No. 2 and 3 singles moved into third sets.
- Porter fought back from a set down to force a third set by winning a second set tiebreaker (8-6).
- Meanwhile Mor battled back from dropping the first set to Antao at No. 2 singles to win the second and then battled to the win in a third set tiebreaker, 7-1, to clinch the win.
Noteworthy
- Stonehill received its 15th NCAA Tournament bid, having earned appearances in 12 of the last 13 years.
- Stonehill finished as one of 16 teams remaining in the NCAA Division II Tournament for the second time in program history and first since reaching the NCAA Championships in 2009. The Skyhawks will be looking for its first Elite Eight appearance with a win tomorrow.
- Solorzano Valencia capped her season winning her last eight singles decisions to finish 9-1 this spring. She has posted four wins over regionally ranked opponents, including last night's win over a nationally ranked player, two wins over NE10 Players of the Year past and present as well as the two-time CACC Player of the Year. Solorzano Valencia has posted a combined singles and doubles record of 47-14 over her two seasons at Stonehill, including a 22-4 singles record and 25-7 doubles mark.
- Porter caps her collegiate career with a combined record of 75-42 in singles and doubles play over her four years, including 38-20 in singles (21-6 NE10) and a 37-22 doubles mark (17-7 NE10), earning four All-NE10 honors and enjoying time in the Oracle/ITA Division II East Region singles rankings over the course of her career.
- This afternoon marked the third meeting of the season between Stonehill and Franklin Pierce, with the Ravens taking the NE10 Championship match last week and today's East Region title match by identical 4-2 margins after winning the regular season matchup back in March, 4-0.
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