Racquet Club, Hershey, Pa.
HERSHEY – For the first time in its history, the Millersville University women’s tennis team captured the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championship in the 21st annual conference tournament held Sunday at the Hershey Racquet Club.
The Marauders, coached by fourth-year mentor DeWitt Boyd, dethroned two-time defending PSAC champion Bloomsburg by winning four of six matches in the championship singles and earned a split with the Huskies in doubles finals competition.
Millersville finished with 33 team points to runner-up Bloomsburg’s 29 points. Clarion and Kutztown finished in a third place tie with 13 points each.
Millersville junior Kristin Maneval (Bloomsburg, Pa.) defeated her archrival, Bloomsburg ace Danielle Faretta (Altoona) to win the first singles flight title, 7-5, 4-6, 6-3. Forty-three-year old freshman Pam Kaylor (Mount Joy) of Millersville defeated Bloomsburg’s Cara Evangelista (Pittsburgh) in straight sets (6-3, 6-4) to capture the second singles crown.
Another Marauder freshman, Lauren Witmer (Lancaster), enjoyed a strong tournament. She defeated Bloomsburg junior Amy Koontz (Bedford), 6-2, 6-2, in the fourth singles title match, then teamed with first-year competitor Abbey Neff (Red Lion) to defeat Koontz and freshman Jen Esposito (Bristol) in the second doubles final, 8-2.
Millersville sophomore Brianne Peiffer (Lititz) scored a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Bloomsburg freshman Shannon Law (York) to claim the number-five singles title.
Esposito and junior Lisa Curran (Allentown) won the third and sixth singles titles, respectively. Esposito downed Neff in three sets (3-6, 6-0, 6-4), and Curran also scored a three-set triumph over Millersville’s Theresa Farne (7-5, 5-7, 6-3).
Faretta and Evangelista captured the first doubles flight championship for Bloomsburg, when they defeated Millersville’s Maneval and Peiffer, 8-3.
Kaylor and Farne capped Millersville’s championship afternoon with an 8-4 third doubles final conquest of Clarion’s Cassie Baker (Beaver) and Amy O’Neal (Everett).
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FINAL TEAM STANDINGS
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1.
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Millersville
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31
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2.
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Bloomsburg
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31
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3.
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Clarion
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14
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3.
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Kutztown
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11
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5.
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Slippery Rock
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10
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6.
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Shippensburg
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9
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7.
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Indiana
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6
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8.
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West Chester
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5
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9.
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California
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4
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9.
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Edinboro
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1
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11.
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Cheyney
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0
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11.
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East Stroudsburg
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0
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Singles Champions
Flight 1 – Kristin Maneval (Mill) d. Danielle Faretta (BU) 7-5, 4-6, 6-3
Flight 2 – Pam Kaylor (Mill) d. Cara Evangelista (BU) 6-3, 6-4
Flight 3 – Jen Esposito (BU) d. Abbey Neff (Mill) 3-6, 6-0, 6-4
Flight 4 – Lauren Witmer (Mill) d. Amy Koontz (BU) 6-2, 6-2
Flight 5 – Brianna Peiffer (Mill) d. Shannon Law (BU) 6-1, 6-0
Flight 6 – Lisa Curran (BU) d. Theresa Farne (Mill) 7-5, 5-7, 6-3
Doubles Champions
Flight 1 – Danielle Faretta/Cara Evangelista (BU) d. Kristin Maneval/Brianne Peiffer (Mill) 8-3
Flight 2 – Abbey Neff/Lauren Witmer (Mill) d. Amy Koontz/Jen Esposito (BU) 9-8
Flight 3 – Pam Kaylor/Theresa Farne (Mill) d. Cassie Baker/Amy O’Neal (Clar) 8-4