The top-seeded Fairleigh Dickinson women's tennis team took care of business Saturday afternoon in the semifinals of Northeast Conference Tournament at the Mercer County Tennis Center in West Windsor, NJ. The Knights defeated the number four seed, Sacred Heart, 4-0. Once the Knights clinched the victory all on-going matches were stopped. The Knights have now won 10 dual matches in a row and 13 of their last 14.
In number one singles, senior Julija Korshunova (Riga, Latvia/Secondary School #75) defeated Kate Donnelly, 6-1, 6-1. Sophomore Elmine Botes (Heidelberg Gauteng, Rep. of South Africa/Hoer Volkskool and British International Distance College) defeated Darcy Demers in number two singles, 6-3, 6-1. Sophomore Julia Prantl (Benediktbeuern, Germany/GUS-Gymnasium Bad Tolz) won in number three singles over Elizabeth Harrington, 6-0, 6-3. In number four singles, freshman Egzona Morina (Prishtina, Kosovo/American School of Kosovo) was ahead of Kristina Chao. She won the first set, 6-3, and was up, 3-2, in the second set when the match was stopped. Senior Ksenia Chernyshova (Moscow, Russia/Secondary School Korolev) was ahead of Julianne Kasinow in number five singles. She won the first set, 6-4, and was down, 0-1, when the match was stopped. Senior Jessica DeCarlos (Eastampton, NJ/Rancocas Valley Regional) was down to Delaney Downing in number six singles. She lost the first set, 6-4, and was up, 2-1, in the second set when the match was stopped.
In number one doubles action, Botes and Korshunova defeated Demers and Kasinow, 8-3. The tandem of Prantl and Morina won, 8-5, in number two doubles over Harrington and Chao. Chernyshova and DeCarlos lost in number three doubles to Donnelly and Downing, 8-3.
"It was a great match," said Head Coach Ira Miller. "We came out strong in the doubles and took the momentum into singles. We are pumped for tomorrow."
The Knights will take on defending conference champion, Long Island, tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. with a trip to the NCAA Tournament on the line. The Blackbirds are the number two seed in the tournament. The Knights upset Long Island earlier this month, 4-3, in a dual match that took place in Teaneck.
