Newburgh - The Mount Saint Mary College women’s tennis team defeated Bard College, 5-2, on Saturday to earn their second consecutive Skyline Championship and a second straight trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Knights finish the fall season at 12-2.
The championship match turned on a gutsy service game by junior Annie Llewellyn at first doubles. With the match tied at 7-7, Llewellyn fended off three break points and eventually held serve to make the score, 8-7. Teamed with sophomore Gabriela Murphy-Goldberg, they would break serve in the next game to take a 9-7 victory.
The point at first doubles gave the Knights a 2-1 advantage headed into the singles competition. Sophomores Emily Gregory and Jen Gregory held on for an 8-6 win at third doubles to claim the first point of the afternoon for the Mount. The Gregorys trailed 5-4 at one point before rallying for the victory.
Murphy-Goldberg came through at first singles (6-2, 6-1) and Jen Gregory took her match at sixth singles (6-0, 6-2) to put the Knights on the brink of clinching the match. Bard nabbed a point at fourth singles to make it 4-2, but the Raptors would get no closer. Emily Gregory clinched the match for the Knights with an impressive 6-2, 6-2 win at fifth singles.
Bard led in the other singles matches as the final point was clinched.
The Knights will compete in the NCAA Tournament at a site to be determined in May.
