Bloomsburg, Slippery Rock Advance to Second Round of NCAA Tennis Championships

BLOOMSBURG, PA - The Bloomsburg University women's tennis team cruised to a 5-0 win over Millersville University in the first round of the NCAA Division II Tennis Championships. In the earlier first round match-up, Slippery Rock University downed Bentley College by a score of 5-0.

The Huskies took all three double points to take a 3-0 lead and then got wins at number four and number six singles to earn the 5-0 win.

In doubles, Emily Murphy (Worcester/Methacton) and Iida Hokkanen (Helsinki, Finland/Aurajoen Lukio Turku) got an 8-4 win at number one doubles while at number two, Katie Hasyn (Lansdale/North Penn) and Tracy Nissenbaum (Allentown/William Allen) picked up an easy 8-2 win. At number three doubles, the team of Jaclyn Kelly (Havertown/Haverford) and Emily Pratt (New Hope/New Hope-Solebury) won 8-6.

In singles, the Huskies got wins from Torie Cunningham (Greenlawn, NY/Harborfields) and Nissenbaum. Cunningham took her match 6-0, 6-0 while Nissenbaum was a 6-0, 6-2 winner.

In the day's other first round match, Slippery Rock swept the doubles points to take a 3-0 lead before winning the top two singles flights to seal the victory.

In number one doubles, the team of Kayla Blackburn and Laura Handy cruised to an 8-0 win over Heather Haggerty and partner Katherine Giambalvo.

At number one singles, Blackburn defeated Haggerty 6-2, 6-1 while at number two singles Handy won 6-1, 6-2 over Kelly Fleszar.

Bloomsburg (18-3) and Slippery Rock (23-5) will face off tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. with the winner earning a trip to the NCAA Final Sixteen in Altamonte Springs, Florida.

NCAA Division II Tennis Championships

Slippery Rock University 5, Bentley College 0

DOUBLES

1. Kayla Blackburn/Laura Handy (SRU) def. Heather Haggerty/Katherine Giambalvo (BC), 8-0

2. Ashley Greene/Ashley Hilborn (SRU) def. Kelly Fleszar/Kelly Nugent (BC), 8-6

3. Lara Rizzi/Chrissy Rhodes (SRU) def. Marcia Gilbride/Andrea Hollot (BC), 8-2

SINGLES

1. Blackburn (SRU) def. Haggerty (BC), 6-2, 6-1

2. Handy (SRU) def. Fleszar (BC), 6-1, 6-2

3. Greene (SRU) DNF Nugent (BC),

4. Hilborn (SRU) DNF Gilbride (BC),

5. Rizzi (SRU) DNF Giambalvo (BC)

6. Rhodes (SRU) DNF Hollot (BC)

Bloomsburg University 5, Millersville University 0

DOUBLES

1. Iida Hokkanen/Emily Murphy (BU) def. Christy Lilli/Melissa Berg (MU), 8-4

2. Katie Hasyn/Tracey Nissenbaum (BU) def. Caiti Golden/Kari Arrants (MU), 8-2

3. Jaclyn Kelly/Emily Pratt (BU) def. Jenny Habecker/Andrea Konas (MU), 8-6

SINGLES

1. Murphy (BU) DNF Lilli (MU), 6-3

2. Hasyn (BU) DNF Berg (MU), 5-7

3. Hokkanen (BU) DNF Golden (MU), 6-0, 3-2

4. Cunninghan (BU) def. Habecker (MU), 6-0, 6-0

5. Carney (BU) DNF Konas (MU), 6-0, 4-1

6. Nissenbaum (BU) def. Lindsay Knappenberger (MU), 6-0, 6-2