Story courtesy of Christa Parulis-Kaye, NECC Assistant Commissioner for Media Relations

To view the entire championship bracket, please click here.

For Immediate Release:
October 18, 2009

NECC Women's Tennis Championships Day Two

ENFIELD, Conn.— Four out of the five New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) women's tennis programs headed into the finals matches today with the Bay Path College Wildcats, the Becker College Hawks and the Newbury College Nighthawks coming away with top honors from their student-athletes. NECC medallions were awarded to all six singles flights and all three doubles flights champions.

The 2009 New England Collegiate Conference Women's Tennis Championship Tournament concluded today at the Enfield Tennis Club in Enfield, Connecticut hosted by Bay Path. The championships were an individual flighted tournament that was based upon student-athletes' singles and doubles conference records. Players were seeded as individual players while seeds were not based on a team's finish.

Starting off the day, in the #1 flight doubles finals, the #2 seeded Becker's sophomore Shauna McNally (Worcester, Mass.) and junior Danielle Stryker (Ledyard, Conn.) overtook the #1 seed Bay Path pair of senior Julia Bendzin (Poestenkill, N.Y.), NECC Player of the Year, and senior Kara Fox (Biddeford, Maine) 8-2.

In the #2 flight, Becker again took the title with their sophomore tandem Laura Mimms (Ashland, Mass.), NECC Rookie of the Year, and Megan Nessen (Levittown, Penn.) defeating Bay Path's sophomore Sarah Costa (Tiverton, R.I.) and senior Cristina Ruiz (Waterbury, Conn.) in a heated battle 8-8 with the tie breaker set finishing at 14-12.

The #3 flight saw Newbury's freshman tandem Alexandra Derderian (North Providence, R.I.) and Jennifer Swafford (Merrimack, N.H.) winning 8-3 over Bay Path's sophomore Lianna Loveitt (Gorham, Maine) and junior Carolina Ynguanzo (Springfield, Mass.).

In the #1 flight and #4 flight singles, the Wildcats' Bendzin nabbed the title defeating Nessen 6-1, 6-1, while Bay Path's Ynguanzo also defeated her opponent McNally 6-4, 6-2.

Becker took the #2, #3 and #6 flight honors with Mimms defeating the Nighthawks' Kristen Connors 6-0, 6-1. The Hawks' Stryker took the title 6-2, 6-0 from Wildcats' Costa, while in a tough fought battle to end the day, Ryzewski overcame a rough start and defeated Fox 1-6, 7-6, 6-4 in a tie-breaker set.

Newbury's Swafford grabbed the #5 flight title, beating Lesley's freshman Brenna Donovan (Hingham, Mass.) 1-6, 6-4, 6-1 in another tie-breaker match.

The 2009 NECC Women's Tennis Team Championship title will be decided on Wednesday, October 21st when Bay Path will travel back to Becker to finish the “title deciding” match that was halted previously during regular season play due to a daylight issue.

NECC Women's Tennis Championships Day One

ATTLEBORO, Mass.— The 2009 New England Collegiate Conference Women's Tennis Championship Tournament got under way today Saturday, October 17th at the Enfield Tennis Club in Enfield, Connecticut hosted by Bay Path. The championship is an individual flighted tournament that is based upon student-athletes' singles and doubles conference records. Players are seeded as individual players and seeds are not based on a team's finish.

Both Becker College and Bay Path College have dominated the singles and doubles semifinal flights. The Wildcats of Bay Path advanced to all three doubles flights, while Becker advanced to the #1 flight and #2 flight finals. Newbury College's #3 doubles will face Bay Path's #3 doubles in the finals to determine the champions.

In singles action, the #1 flight will be a Bay Path vs. Becker final, as will the #3 flight, #4 flight and #5 flight. The #2 flight will see Becker facing Newbury. The #5 Flight will see Newbury facing Lesley.

The championships will conclude tomorrow Sunday, October 18th with the finals brackets. Trophies will be awarded to all six singles flights' and all three doubles flights' winners.