Friday, October 10, 2003

MORAVIAN WOMEN’S TENNIS TO TRAVEL TO UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON
FOR MAC CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

BETHLEHEM, PA --- The Moravian College women’s tennis team looks to extend its winning streak to 13 straight matches and win its fourth straight Middle Atlantic Conference Championship as the Greyhounds, 12-1 on the year, travel to the University of Scranton for the 2003 MAC Championship match on Saturday, October 10th at 12:00 p.m. at Poly-Hi Park.

Moravian, which has won six of the last seven MAC Championships, is competing in its tenth consecutive playoff appearance, and the squad is the second seed from the MAC Commonwealth. The Greyhounds defeated MAC Freedom top seed Drew University, 7-2, on one semifinal while Scranton, the second seed from the MAC Freedom, defeated Messiah College, the MAC Commonwealth top seed, in the other semifinal.

Under the direction of head coach Dawn Benner, the Greyhounds have won 11 straight matches after falling to Messiah, 5-4, to open the season. Moravian defeated Scranton, 5-4, earlier this season, to start the team’s current winning streak.

Junior Becky Deringer (Allentown, PA/Dieruff HS) leads Moravian in singles action with a 13-2 mark, including a 9-1 record at second singles. Senior Lauren Castagna (Mt. Bethel, PA/Bangor HS) has a 13-3 mark on the season with a 9-2 record at third singles while senior Marion Berry (Avon, NJ/St. Rose HS) is 8-2 at first singles. Deringer and Castagna competed in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Southeast Regional Tournament on September 27th and 28th at Mary Washington College with Castagna reaching the quarterfinals in the "B" Draw. Senior Petia Damianova (Haskovo, Bulgaria/ISM HS) has added a 9-1 record this fall at fifth singles.

Sophomore Nicole Gruber (Lebanon, PA/Lebanon HS) is 9-3 overall and 7-3 at fourth singles while junior Julie Anderson (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty HS) has a 6-3 record this season, and she is 4-3 at sixth singles. Sophomore Katie Cooke (Milford, PA/Delaware Valley HS) has won all four singles matches she has played while freshman Courtney Hall (Denver, PA/Cocalico HS) is 1-0 in her debut season.

In doubles action, Berry and junior Jillian Iacovelli (Randolph, NJ/Randolph HS) have combined for an 11-4 mark including an 8-3 record at second doubles while Deringer and Castagna are 8-3 at first doubles. Berry and Iacovelli also participated in the ITA Southeast Regional, reaching the quarterfinals in the "B" Draw. Hall and fellow freshman Margo Kokolus (Orefield, PA/Parkland HS) have a 3-0 mark at third doubles while Damianova is 3-1 at third doubles with Cooke. Sophomores Rachel Vannatta (Pennsbury, PA/Upper Perkiomen HS) and Sara Weller (Gladstone, NJ/Bernards HS) also have a 1-0 record at third doubles, as do Damianova and Gruber. Damianova and Vannatta have combined for a 1-1 record.

Scranton enters the MAC Championship match with an overall record of 11-4 and a 5-1 slate in the MAC Freedom. The Royals four losses were to Moravian, Drew, Elizabethtown College and Susquehanna University.

Freshman Jessica Coty leads Scranton in singles competition with a 13-3 record while playing in the second position. Sophomore Ashlee Wydra has a 12-4 mark while playing third singles while senior Jillian Federico has an 8-2 slate while playing fifth singles.

Junior Kristin Bellino has a 7-4 record while playing fourth, fifth and sixth. Freshman Maria Scopelliti has a 6-1 mark this season while sophomore Maggie Leuzarder has posted a 4-13 slate at first singles. Freshman Laura Yeckley and senior Katie King have contributed five singles victories while sophomore Karen Dilsizian has added four wins. Senior Allison Hoffman has won two singles matches while senior Sheila Broadhead has one singles victory.

In doubles action, Federico and Hoffman have combined for a 10-3 mark. Bellino and Yeckley have a 5-1 mark while Coty and Yeckley have a 5-2 doubles slate. Coty is undefeated at 3-0 with Broadhead in doubles while Coty and Leuzarder have a 3-4 mark. Broadhead and Leuzarder have also combined for two doubles victories.