Women's Tennis Advances to NEC Final With Victories over Robert Morris and Sacred Heart

4/22-23/05 -- Second-seeded Long Island notched a 4-0 quarterfinal victory Friday over No. 7 Robert Morris and a 4-3 semifinal triumph Saturday over third-seeded Sacred Heart at the Northeast Conference Women's Tennis Championship in Ewing Township, N.J.

The Blackbirds (15-6) had little trouble in the quarterfinals, dropping just four games in the three doubles matches for the opening point. Sophomore Merve Koksal (Ankara, Turkey) posted a 6-1, 6-1 win at first singles over Renee James, junior Claudia Arteaga (Cali, Colombia) recorded a 6-0, 6-0 triumph at No. 4 singles over Mary Esch and senior Ellen Anolin (Flushing, N.Y.) won, 6-0, 6-0, at fifth singles against Lauren Dominijanni.

The semifinal was a classic duel that opened with LIU taking the doubles point. Senior Veronica Apostu-Efremov (Bucharest, Romania) and junior Krystina Bachner (Penfield, N.Y.) topped Lauren Galatie and Pam Pillo at first doubles with Koksal and Anolin upending Jessica Schnell and Darcy Shoop, 8-2, at No. 2 doubles.

Koksal notched a 6-3, 6-0 victory at first singles against Galatie and sophomore Xenia Roman (Vera Cruz, Mexico) won, 6-2, 6-2 at No. 6 singles. Arteaga provided the winning point at fourth singles in a thrilling 7-6 (7-2), 3-6, 6-3 triumph over Lissa Von Brecht.

LIU is in the conference final for the second straight year and seeks its first crown Sunday as it faces top-seeded Quinnipiac. The match begins at 11:00 am.