MAC Brackets Page / Day One Recap / Preview
WILKES-BARRE - Wilkes University swept all nine brackets, winning six singles and three doubles titles, at the 2010 Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Women's Tennis Individual Championships this weekend.
Melanie Nolt (Manheim, Manheim Central), Victoria Bybel (Lancaster, Lancaster Mennonite), Allison Kristofco (Hollidaysburg , Bishop Guilfoyle), Rebekah Shanaman (Richland, ELCO), Alexis Donner (Belmar, NJ, Wall) and Amanda Holyk (Scranton, Scranton Prep) each took home a singles title, while Nolt and Bybel, Kristofco and Donner, and Shanaman and Michelle Knight (Roaming Shores, OH, Trinity) won the doubles championships.
After advancing to the no. 1 singles championship match by a default win, Nolt defeated Victoria Foanio of Albright, rallying after a first set loss to win 4-6, 6-4, 10-6. The win gave Nolt two straight no. 1 MAC singles titles to open her career, as she won last year as a freshman.
Bybel advanced to the finals by cruising past Akashi Sayumi of Lycoming 6-1, 6-1. Her championship match win was almost just as easy, beating Elizabethtown's Madison Pimpkin 6-1, 6-2. Bybel then teamed with Nolt to take the no. 1 doubles title, beating Pimpkin and Alena Marani of Elizabethtown 9-7.
At no. 3 singles, Kristofco swept Misericordia's Ashley Mangabang 6-0, 6-0 before rallying to defeat Kristie Noecker of Elizabethtown 2-6, 6-4, 10-5. She then teamed with Donner at no. 2 doubles to take down Misericordia 8-4 in the title match.
Donner, playing at no. 5 singles, won her second straight MAC singles championship, defeating Cassie Foy of Misericordia 6-1, 6-1 in the semifinals before blowing past Danielle Bordner of Lebanon Valley 6-0, 6-0.
At no. 4 singles, Shanaman beat Alvernia's Laura Ehnes 6-3, 6-2 then took down Rebecca Reynolds of Lycoming 6-3, 6-0. Shanaman later paired up with Michelle Knight (Roaming Shores, OH/Trinity) at no. 3 doubles, beating a team from Elizabethtown 8-0 in the finals match.
Holyk, competing in her first MAC championships, was another Lady Colonel who breezed through her matches today. She took Lycoming's Ellen Phillips down 6-0, 6-0 in the semifinals, then moved on to the championship match, beating Messiah's Kristen Chen 6-0, 6-1.
Wilkes has improved on its MAC individual championship performances in each of the past four fall seasons. After winning just one singles title in 2006, the Lady Colonels, led by head coach Chris Leicht, took two singles and two doubles championships in 2007. Leicht helped Wilkes improve in 2008, getting three singles titles and all three doubles championships. Last year, the Lady Colonels again won all three doubles crowns, but added another singles title, taking first-thru-fourth.
The Lady Colonels wrap up their fall season on Wednesday as they host Dickinson College at the Ralston Athletic Complex tennis courts at 4:00 p.m.
