MANLIUS, NY – — The SUNY New Paltz women’s tennis team claimed its first-ever SUNYAC Championship this weekend at the Eastside Racquet Club in Manlius, NY.
The Hawks ran away from the 10-team field, finishing the three-day event with 32 points. Defending champion Geneseo was second with 19 points while Oneonta finished third with 15 points and Brockport was fourth 14.
“What an unbelievable experience,” said head coach Rob Bruley. “I never thought it would happen. Everyone was just in total awe.”
The Hawks took home four conference championships in the singles competition and garnered two more in doubles.
Junior Becky Sparacin (Goshen, NY) won number two singles following a 6-3, 6-4 win over Catherine Lodico of Oneonta.
Senior Megan Crevoiserat (Levittown, NY),who was unseeded in the tournament, knocked off the top three seeds in the third sinlges flight and went on to defeat Nicole King of Geneseo 6-2, 6-0 to claim the championship.
Senior Jen Neumann (Port Jervis, NY)won the number four singles crown following a 6-1, 7-5 win over Rene Smith of Geneseo.
In the fifth flight, junior Amie Larson (Port Jervis, NY) captured the championship with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over Shalini Sudarsanan of Geneseo.
In doubles, Sparacin and sophomore Kerry Farrell (Rockville Center, NY) took home the title in the first flight with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Plattsburgh’s Katie DeCoursey and Barbara Kosowsky. DeCoursey and Kosowsky captured the 2001 championship in number two doubles.
The number two team of Crevoiserat and freshman Sophie Giret (Paris, France)defeated Lodico and Cordea Twiggs of Oneonta 6-3, 6-2 to give the Hawks another title.
Bruley took home the conference’s Coach of the Year award. “I’m very proud,” said Bruley. “When I took over the program we had five kids and went 2-12. I’m just so proud to be a part of history at New Paltz.
In 2000 the Hawks did not score a single point at the conference tournament and finished sixth with 12 points at last year’s event.
