Flushing, N.Y. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College Women's Tennis team suffered a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Queens College in East Coast Conference Tournament Championship on Saturday evening at the QC Tennis Bubble.
STAC slips to 7-2 on the season, while Queens improves to 6-1 on the year and secures an automatic bid in the NCAA Division II Women's Tennis Tournament, which takes place in the spring.
The Spartans opened Championship Saturday in a precarious position, as the No. 1 doubles pair of Maja Makal & Saga Berggren began the evening by taking a 6-4 victory over Courtney Elita Silins & Courtney Fyvie for an early 1-0 lead. With Queens in control of the doubles action at #2 and #3 courts and both scores in favor of the Knights at 5-3, it would be the #3 doubles duo of Kyra Bergmann & Sakura Saito getting a 6-3 victory over Elise Semmartin & Mar Caneves Bufi, as Queens took the first team point into singles play.
The No. 2 doubles match between Apolline Lamy & Eva Rivoal and Kateryna Kryuchkova & Anaya Brons went unfinished at 5-3.
When singles play got underway, it would be St. Thomas Aquinas who would answer first, tying the score at 1-1, with No. 5 Kateryna Kryuchkova beating Saga Berggren, 6-2, 6-0. However, the good feelings would be short-lived for the maroon and gold, as Queens would sweep the next three matches to snatch the ECC crown back from the two-time, defending champion Spartans. No. 3 Caroline Hany-Fawzy took down Courtney Fyvie, 6-2, 6-1, No. 4 Apolline Lamy bested Elise Semmartin, 6-2, 6-3 and then No. 6 Regina Ruiz closed things out with a 6-0, 4-6, 6-0 win against Ombeline Robilliart.
The No. 1 singles match between Eva Rivoal and Anaya Brons (7-6 (7-2), 3-6, 0-1) and No. 2 singles bout between Maja Makal and Elita Silins (6-3, 6-7 (7-9)) both went unfinished.
QUEENS 4/STAC 1 - OFFICIAL RESULTS
Order of Finish: 1, 3*
SINGLES