EASTON, Mass. – Southern New Hampshire University captured its third consecutive Northeast-10 Conference women's tennis tournament title with a 5-1 victory over Stonehill College at the Sally Blair Ames Sports Complex Sunday afternoon.  The Penmen, who were seeded third but tied for the top spot in the NE-10 regular season along with Stonehill and Adelphi University, improved to 18-5 and earned the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament that begins next weekend.  For SNHU, it marks its fourth-straight NCAA appearance.  The top-seeded Skyhawks, who have fallen in the NE-10 title match to SNHU in each of the past three seasons, now stand 15-5, and with currently being ranked No. 6 in the East Region, will await word of a possible NCAA at-large bid.  The NCAA will announce the tournament field Tuesday night.

Southern New Hampshire, which has also held at least a share of the last three NE-10 regular season titles, becomes the first team to win three straight league tournament crowns since now-Division I Bryant University won five in a row from 2004-08.

In the two teams' first meeting during the regular season, Stonehill held a 2-1 lead after doubles, however, the Penmen swept doubles competition Sunday afternoon.  Alena Mukdaprakorn (Hartford, Conn.) and Diana Vamvakitis (Wading River, N.Y.) posted an 8-2 win at No. 1, while Jamie Hann (Westhampton, N.Y.) and Samantha Jean (Bedford, N.H.) were 8-5 winners at No. 2.  Amanda Albuquerque (Weymouth, Mass.) and Kirsten Jean (Bedford, N.H.) recorded an 8-4 triumph at No. 3.

Vamvakitis gave the guests a 4-0 lead with her quick 6-1, 6-2 victory at second singles.  Stonehill picked up its lone point at No. 5 singles, with Meryl Lawrence dispatching Samantha Jean 6-1, 6-0.  Mukdaprakorn, the NE-10's Player of the Year, clinched the match for the Penmen, rallying in the first set for a 7-5 win before topping Amy Toegemann 6-2 in the second set.

No. 3 and No. 4 singles were both close battles.  At third singles, Stonehill's Paige Frost took a 6-4 decision from Albuquerque in the first set and led 6-5 in the second.  Hann and Stonehill's Sarah Hickey were headed for a third set, with Hann taking the first set 6-4 before Hickey notched a 6-3 win in set two.

Mukdaprakorn was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, while Vamvakitis and Samantha Jean were named to the All-Championship Team along with Frost and Hickey.

Championship Photo by Richard Orr Sports

#45 Southern N.H. University 5, Stonehill College 1
Apr 22, 2012 at Easton, Mass. (Sally Blair Ames Sports Complex)