Engineers Fall in NEWMAC Championship

Oct. 24, 2005

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - For the second year in a row, Wellesley College defeated MIT in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Women's Tennis Championship. Wellesley posted a 5-1 win over the Engineers for the title. Tech advanced to the finals after posting a 5-1 victory over Babson College in Saturday's semifinals. MIT ends the fall season with an overall record of 8-3 and a conference ledger of 6-1.

MIT's No. 3 doubles team of Jusleen Karve and Jill Konowich tallied the only point in the finals after they defeated Jenny Kendall and Katie Ching, 8-4. Mariah Hoover and Serena Lin dropped an 8-3 decision while Joanna MacKay and Elaine Ni lost, 8-4. Wellesley took the first three singles matches to clinch the win.

On Saturday, the Engineers established a 3-0 advantage heading into singles play against Babson. Lin and Hoover recorded an 8-5 victory over Gretchen Hackmann and Fran Russo. MacKay and Ni along with Karve and Konowich both posted 8-4 wins.

Hackmann posted the Beavers' only point of the match when she defeated Lin, 7-5, 6-2. Ni battled Courtney Farrell, 4-6, 6-0, 7-6 (5), for a win in the No. 2 spot. Yi Wang earned the other victory for the Engineers by posting a 6-2, 6-2 win over Kali Hogan.

MIT vs. Wellesley College (NEWMAC Championship)
Final Team Score: Wellesley 5, MIT 1

Doubles
1. Jenna Mezin/Hali Walther (W) def. Mariah Hoover/Serena Lin (M), 8-3
2. Trish Devine/Jen Schwarzkopf (W) def. Joanna MacKay/Elaine Ni (M), 8-4
3. Jusleen Karve/Jill Konowich (M) def. Jenny Kendall/Katie Ching (W), 8-4

Singles
1. Jenna Mezin (W) def. Serena Lin (M), 6-1, 6-1
2. Trish Devine (W) def. Elaine Ni (M), 6-2, 6-1
3. Hali Walther (W) def. Mariah Hoover (M), 6-2, 6-0
4. Yi Wang (M) vs. Jen Schwarzkopf (W), DNF, 1-6, 5-5
5. Jill Konowich (M) vs. Jenny Kendall (W), DNF, 6-4, 0-1
6. Joanna MacKay (M) vs. Alex Lucas (W), DNF, Warm-up

Babson College vs. MIT (NEWMAC Semifinal)
Final Team Score: MIT 5, Babson 1

Doubles
1. Serena Lin/Mariah Hoover (M) def. Gretchen Hackmann/Fran Russo (B), 8-5
2. Joanna MacKay/Elaine Ni (M) def. Meena Anvary/Liz Magner (B), 8-4
3. Jusleen Karve/Jill Konowich (M) def. Iryna Neskoromna/Heather Walsh (B), 8-4

Singles
1. Gretchen Hackmann (B) def. Serena Lin (M), 7-5, 6-2
2. Elaine Ni (M) def. Courtney Farrell (B), 4-6, 6-0, 7-6 (5)
3. Mariah Hoover (M) vs. Fran Russo (B), DNF, 2-6, 7-5, 2-2
4. Yi Wang (M) def. Kali Hogan (B), 6-2, 6-2
5. Jill Konowich (M) vs. Heather Walsh (B), DNF, 6-1, 1-2
6. Joanna MacKay (M) vs. Meena Avary (B), DNF, 1-1