University of Richmond
Atlantic 10 Championships
3PEAT: Women's Tennis Cruises To Third-Straight A-10 Crown
04/10/2011 | Women's Tennis
• RECAP | COMPLETE CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS | PHOTOS
April 10, 2011
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -
Top-seeded Richmond captured its third-straight Atlantic 10 Women's Tennis Championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament with its 4-1 victory over third-seeded Saint Louis, Sunday afternoon at the Boar's Head Sports Club in Charlottesville, Va.
Richmond won its third-straight title and conference-record eighth crown in the last nine years. The Spiders will be making their 10th NCAA appearance, and seventh in the last eight years, in next month's NCAA Women's Tennis Championships.
The defending champion Spiders took the early 1-0 advantage, as they secured the doubles point with wins at the number one and two tandem spots. Richmond's Helen Cunningham and Alexandra Smyth cruised past SLU's Hailee Elmore and Casey Miller, 8-1, at the first doubles flight, before Joanna Matuszczyk and Sydney Grant teamed up to down Jennifer Nalepa and Kasia Tomalak, 8-2, on the number three court.
Elizabeth Sims extended the Spiders margin with her impressive straight-set triumph (6-1, 6-1) over SLU's Mia Elmore at number six singles, before Jennifer Nalepa registered the Billikens' lone point of the match with her 6-1, 6-2 victory over Grant.
Richmond then rattled off back-to-back wins at number two and five singles courtesy of Joanna Matuszczyk and Alexandra Smyth to claim its seventh A-10 Championship in eight years. Matuszczyk handed Miller a 6-2, 6-0 loss, while Smyth downed Kasia Tomalak, 6-3, 6-1.
Richmond has a conference-record seven A-10 crowns (2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010) and has made nine NCAA appearances, including six in the last seven seasons.
Richmond ended its regular season 13-5 overall and a perfect 4-0 mark in A-10 play. The Spiders were tabbed as this season's favorite to capture the league title as voted on by conference coaches in a preseason poll.
Players Mentioned
