Sports » Women’s Tennis
The win marks 11 straight wins for the Bombers and it is the fourth consecutive season they have captured the Empire 8 title. They won an automatic berth to compete in the NCAA Division III women’s tennis championship this spring.
The top-seeded Bombers were able to pull out an important win in the semifinal round on Saturday by defeating Stevens Institute of Technology 5–1. They posted three singles and two doubles victories.
Senior Alyssa Jaffe was named the tournament’s most valuable player. She defeated Stevens’ Nicole Portner in straight sets at third singles on Saturday 6–2 and 6–0. Against RIT, she won her doubles match first and then went on to win her singles match 6–1 and 6–1.
The Bombers started Sunday off strongly by sweeping three consecutive doubles matches. Senior Natalie Jenereski and sophomore Agata Kubik set the tone by defeating the previously undefeated RIT team of Amanda Berg and Brianne Franciso in a tight 8–6 match. It was the closest match of the day, but Kubik was able to break a 6–6 tie by serving out the rest of the match to secure a vital win.
The South Hill squad was able to use the momentum from this victory to post two more wins in doubles competition. Jaffe and junior Devra Reiman went on to defeat RIT’s Kseniya Klyachko and Alexis Stanely in an 8–3 win. Sophomores Melanie Cohen and Melissa Nunez finished up doubles with an 8–2 win. With three doubles wins, the Bombers needed to keep focused in singles to ensure a tournament victory.
Jaffe and Cohen were able to clinch the conference title early that afternoon with two crucial singles victories. Cohen defeated RIT’s Michele Caporali 6–0 and 6–2.
The Bombers will host the New York State Women’s Tennis Championship beginning Friday at the Reis Tennis Center at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y.
