WESTON, Mass. – Top-seeded Regis College captured their fifth consecutive New England Collegiate Conference title as they hung on to defeat second-seeded Lesley University 6-3 this afternoon on the Pride Tennis Courts. Regis earned victories in two of the three doubles matches before taking four of the six singles matches to down the Lynx for the third straight season in the championship match.

The Pride wraps up their 2016 season with a 10-1 overall record while the Lynx finish at 8-5.

The Lynx second doubles tandem of senior Carlyn Barker (Temecula, Calif.) and sophomore Maddie Abbott (Portland, Maine) earned an 8-4 victory over Pride sophomore Katasha Jarvis (Mt. Vernon, N.Y.) and freshman Carly Scanlon (Canton, Mass.) to put Lesley on the scoreboard. Regis would answer back with victories at No. 1 and No. 3 doubles to take a 2-1 edge into singles play.

The Lynx would even the match at 2-2 when junior Caroline Kiddie (Scituate, Mass.) blanked senior Erica Murphy (Portsmouth, N.H.) in straight sets 6-0, 6-0 in the top singles match. Regis senior Emily Rice (Pittsfield, Mass.) would put the hosts back up by one with a 7-5, 6-0 triumph over senior Frances De Leon (Murrieta, Calif.) in No. 5 singles before the Pride took a two-point edge when Scanlon defeated junior Theresa Pereira (Hopedale, Mass.) 6-4, 6-4.

Lesley sophomore Jessica Russo (Watertown, Mass.) brought the Lynx back to within one with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over junior Sara Kanarkiewicz (Peabody, Mass.) in the sixth slot.

The match would come down to two thrilling three-set matches at No. 2 and No. 3. After dropping the first set 6-4, Jarvis would come back to take the next two 7-5, 6-1 over Barker and clinch the title match at third singles. Lord would wrap the afternoon up with a 2-6, 6-0, 7-5 comeback win over Abbott in second singles. 

After the match, Barker and Abbott were named to the All-Tournament Doubles Team while Abbott and Kiddie earned All-Conference All-Tournament Singles Team.