ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE WOMEN'S TENNIS
Sunday, April 20, 2008

Elizabethtown College Wins Third Commonwealth Conference Team Championship in Four Years, Earns First-Ever NCAA Tournament Berth

Click here for the box score

LANDISVILLE, Pa. --- For the first time in program history, the Elizabethtown College women's tennis team will compete in the NCAA Division III team tournament after the Blue Jays defeated Lebanon Valley College 5-0 in the Commonwealth Conference finals at the Hempfield Sports Complex on Sunday morning.

Alice Yu accepts the Commonwealth Conference
MVP award from head coach
Matt Helsel

The Blue Jays (13-3 overall) won their third Commonwealth Conference title in the last four seasons by sweeping doubles and winning two singles matches to clinch the championship, the fifth conference title in program history.

First-year student Minke Albers (The Hague, The Netherlands) gave the Blue Jays their decisive fifth point with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Sammy Burkey at fourth singles, after tournament MVP Alice Yu (Athens, GA/Clarke Central) swept Kelly Moll 6-1, 6-0 at third singles.

Elizabethtown's doubles wins came from senior Emma Smith (Moorestown, NJ/Moorestown) and Yu over Sarah Grodzinski and Shayna Heintzelman 8-4 at flight one, sophomore Emily Swarr (Manheim, PA/Manheim Central) and sophomore Jessica Russell (Kennett Square, PA/Unionville) by an 8-6 score over Jan White and Leslie Sabas at flight two, and Albers and first-year student Kelly Fisher (Harrisburg, PA/Bishop McDevitt) at flight three over Moll and Charissa Nordall by an 8-4 score.

With the victory, the Blue Jays will participate in the NCAA Division III Tournament beginning Thursday, May 1 at a site and time to be determined.

Elizabethtown College 5, Lebanon Valley College 0
Singles competition
1. Emily Swarr (ETOWN) vs. Sarah Grodzinski (LVC) 3-6, 2-5, unfinished
2. Emma Smith (ETOWN) vs. Leslie Sabas (LVC) 3-6, 3-5, unfinished
3. Alice Yu (ETOWN) def. Kelly Moll (LVC) 6-1, 6-0
4. Minke Albers (ETOWN) def. Sammy Burkey (LVC) 6-3, 6-4
5. Jessica Russell (ETOWN) vs. Charissa Nordall (LVC) 3-6, 6-2, unfinished
6. Kelly Fisher (ETOWN) vs. Shayna Heintzelman (LVC) 6-3, 4-2, unfinished

Doubles competition
1. Emma Smith/Alice Yu (ETOWN) def. Sarah Grodzinski/Shayna Heintzelman (LVC) 8-4
2. Emily Swarr/Jessica Russell (ETOWN) def. Jan White/Leslie Sabas (LVC) 8-6
3. Minke Albers/Kelly Fisher (ETOWN) def. Kelly Moll/Charissa Nordall (LVC) 8-4