St. Edward's University

ALTA MONTE SPRINGS, Fla. - The 18^th-ranked St. Edward's women's tennis team did all they could against the defending national champion Armstrong Atlantic but fell to the #3 Pirates, 5-1 Wednesday evening in the 2009 NCAA Women's Division II National Tournament at Sanlando Park.

St. Edward's (18-7) came into the evening with a 12-match winning streak; however they would be facing an Armstrong Atlantic team that was 24-1, with all three doubles teams ranked nationally and five of the six singles positions ranked nationally.

In doubles action, the Hilltopper duo of junior Liz Jacobi and freshman Mary Bain fell to the seventh-ranked doubles team of Gabriella Kovacs and Sona Novakova, 8-0.

At the number one doubles position, the 15^th-ranked team of senior Regina DelBosque and freshman Audrey Tompkins took on the #2-ranked team of Alida Muller-Wehlau and Martina Beckmann. Neither team was able to hold their serve through the first six games, but the Pirate duo won the final five games of the match to take an 8-3 victory.

In number three doubles, the team of freshmen Heather Brein and Alex Henry took down the 12^th-ranked team of Tina Ronel and Kathleen Henry, 8-6. The Armstrong Atlantic duo was 20-5 heading into the match, but the Hilltopper defeated them and improved its record to 7-2.

In singles play, the Hilltoppers struggled in every match as they lost the first set in all six matches. Armstrong Atlantic took victories at the number one, two and four positions. Tompkins fell to the #1-ranked Novakova, 6-0, 6-1. DelBosque dropped a 6-2, 6-1 decision to #16-ranked Muller-Wehlau, 6-2, 6-1. Jacobi fell to 19^th-ranked Kovacs, 6-1, 6-0.

The Hilltoppers end their season that saw them go from a 6-6 record, rattle off 12-straight victories, and advance to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time in school history. It has definitely been a successful season. St. Edward's did all of this with four freshmen in the starting lineup and a roster made up of entirely American players.