Women's Tennis | 10/22/2012 9:06:00 AM
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Liberty University women's tennis team battled unbeaten West Virginia State to the wire here Sunday before settling for runner-up honors in the finals of the West Virginia Conference Women's Tennis Championships at the Schoenbaum Tennis Complex.
Coach
Heather Gallagher's Hilltoppers (13-2) came out on the short end of a 5-3 decision against the Yellowjackets (15-0), who locked up the WVIAC's automatic bid to the 2013 NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional with the victory.
After advancing to the WVIAC Tournament's championship match for the second consecutive season, West Liberty is virtually assured of receiving an at-large bid when the regional field is announced in the spring.
The Hilltoppers opened Sunday's championship match with a convincing win at No. 1 doubles as WVIAC Player of the Year
Lauren Howard teamed up with three-time All-WVIAC standout
Raissa Wischi for an 8-2 romp past State's No. 1 tandem of Andreea Slusarciuc and Diana Cotoros.
The Yellowjackets bounced back with wins in the other two doubles matches to take a 2-1 lead into singles play.
State grabbed straight-set wins at the No. 3 and No. 4 single spots but Wischi kept West Liberty alive with a 6-3, 6-3 win against Slusarciuc at No. 2 singles.
The Hilltoppers'
Zineb Houssaini cut the Yellowjacket lead to 4-3 with a 6-3, 7-5 win against Charlotte Sandy at No. 5 singles but State's Jordan Kerns locked up the title by winning her No. 6 singles match.
The much-anticipated No. 1 singles match between Howard and the Yellowjackets' unbeaten WVIAC Freshman of the Year Brittany Franco was halted without a decision after State clinched the match.
WOMEN'S TENNIS
WVIAC Championships
Championship Match
W.Va. State 5, West Liberty 3
Doubles
Singles
