Blackbirds Close Out Regular Season With 7-0 Triumph Over Hartford

4/17/05 -- Long Island University ran its win streak to three matches with a 7-0 triumph over University of Hartford at Flushing, N.Y. this afternoon. With the victory, the Blackbirds closed out the regular season with a 13-6 mark. The match marked the last home event for three seniors: Veronica Apostu-Efremov (Bucharest, Romania), Ellen Anolin (Flushing, N.Y.), and Jasmine Grays (Springfield Gardens, N.Y.).

Sophomore Merve Koksal (Ankara, Turkey) posted a three-set tiebreaker victory, 5-7, 6-2, 10-5 over Ana Mora at No. 1 singles. Apostu-Efremov (Bucharest, Romania), raised her season record to 13-6 with a 6-0, 6-0 win in the second slot over Raquel Cassino. Bachner improved to 14-3 with a 6-2, 6-2 triumph in the third flight.

Senior Ellen Anolin (Flushing, N.Y.) and sophomore Xenia Roman (Vera Cruz, Mexico) rolled to victories at the fifth and sixth flights (6-1, 6-0), respectively, to complete the singles sweep.

In double action, Apostu-Efremov and Bachner continued their solid play, defeating Mora and Lauren Perry, 8-2, in the first position. Anolin and Koksal posted an 8-2 victory in the second flight. Andrea Pertab (S. Ozone Park, N.Y.) and Claudia Arteaga (Cali, Colombia) were 8-0 victors at No. 3 doubles.

The Blackbirds, the number two seed in the Northeast Conference Tournament, will face seventh-seeded Robert Morris in the quarterfinals Friday at 9:00 am in West Windsor, N.J.