For Immediate Release: April 30, 2004
Contact: John Hartrick (hartrick@binghamton.edu)
Phone: 607-777-6800

Bearcats upset New Hampshire, 4-3 in America East women's tennis quarterfinals

America East Championship Update

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - At the America East Women's Tennis Championship, fifth-seeded Binghamton won the pivotal doubles point and went on to post a 4-3 upset victory over fourth-seeded New Hampshire Friday afternoon at the Connecticut Tennis Center. The result, which avenged a 4-3 regular-season win for the Wildcats, sends BU into a Saturday semifinal match against top-seeded and 13-time defending champion Boston University. The win also assures the Bearcats of a top-4 conference finish.

"It was a great win for this team," head coach Mike Stevens said. "They have worked hard all year leading up to this tournament, and our goal was to be the best we can be. We knew it was going to be a close match. The doubles point was the key, as we thought it would be, and our players were able to pull it out."

Freshman Melis Altinay (Antalya, Turkey) posted her ninth straight win at No. 1 singles with a 6-2, 6-0 victory. Altinay, a player of the year candidate, is 17-7 overall and 11-4 in duals. She has beaten every conference foe except for Boston, and will have a second crack at Lindsey Dynof on Saturday. At number two, freshman Lya Kushnirovich (Brooklyn, N.Y.) scored a 6-4, 6-2 win and senior Janine Sadaka (Great Neck, N.Y.) posted a 6-1, 6-1 win at the third spot.

Earlier in doubles, Kushnirovich and Sadaka teamed up for an 8-4 win at the top spot, and Altinay and Sherri Stern (Commack, N.Y.) combined for an 8-1 win at No. 2.

Binghamton 4, New Hampshire 3

DOUBLES
Kushnirovich/Sadaka (Bing) def. Breen/Kafferly (UNH), 8-4
Altinay/Stern (Bing) def. Erickson/Dixon (UNH), 8-1
Pasay/Heineman (UNH) def. Popova/Freel (Bing), 8-4

SINGLES
Melis Altinay (Bing) def. Megan Breen (UNH), 6-2, 6-0
Lya Kushnirovich (Bing) def. Jenna Kafferly (UNH), 6-4, 6-2
Janine Sadaka (Bing) def. Hallie Erickson (UNH), 6-1, 6-1
Lensey Dixon (UNH) def. Vera Popova (Bing), 6-3, 6-1
Jess Pasay (UNH) def. Sherri Stern (Bing), 6-1, 6-1
Tiffany Heineman (UNH) def. Lauren Freel (Bing), 6-1, 6-2

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