April 20, 2008

2008 Patriot League Women's Tennis Championship Page.

West Point, N.Y. - After one of the most thrilling championship matches in Patriot League history, the Army Black Knights became the 2008 Patriot League Women's Tennis Champions by virtue of their 4-3 victory over the Bucknell Bison. Army junior Sarah Giles-Madden was awarded the 2008 John "Pat" Rooney Award as the tournament's Most Valuable Player. The victory in the championship match is the fourth-consecutive and ninth overall for Army.

The top-seeded Black Knights and the second-seeded Bison took to the courts on yet another beautiful day in West Point for the championship match. Both teams were coming off of 4-0 sweeps in Saturday's semifinal round, and looked to be evenly matched following Saturday's performances. The Bison stepped up and threw the first punch in this heavyweight bout, so to speak, as they won two of the three doubles matches to earn the crucial doubles point for a 1-0 overall lead. No. 1 doubles partners Tania Varelo and Lauren Lucido put together an impressive performance notch an 8-6 victory, while the duo of Paulina Gamboa and Carlin Calcaterra earned a 9-7 victory. Army's lone doubles victory came from Christine Limsiaco and Bridie Burke, who won by a score of 8-5.

Heading into the singles matches, it was anyone's title to take, as the close to 100 in attendance knew that they were going to be in for quite a ride. Army quickly evened things up at 1-1 overall when sophomore Kristin Beehler swept her opponent in straight sets by a score of 6-1, 6-1. The next singles match to finish also gave Army a point in the win column, as No. 5 Caitlin Finnegan pulled out a 6-2, 6-1 victory in straight sets. Bucknell evened things out when Gamboa, playing in the No. 2 position, earned a 7-6 (7-3), 6-1 victory. With the overall match score tied at two apiece, each team needed to win two of the final three matches to earn the team title. Army would be next to strike, as senior co-captain Diana Alquero put together a gutsy performance to earn a 6-4, 7-5 victory. Alquero trailed by several games in each set, before pulling out the victory. Bucknell would even things up once again when Varelo, who played solidly throughout the two days of the tournament, moved by her opponent with a match score of 7-6, 5-7, 6-0. In the deciding match, it would be another come-from-behind victory for the Black Knights, as Giles-Madden secured a three-set victory to launch her teammates into a celebration. Giles-Madden finished with a score of 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.

With the win, Army receives the Patriot League's automatic bid to the 2008 NCAA Tournament. The NCAA Tournament pairings will be announced April 29 between 2 and 2:30 p.m. on ESPNews. First round play will begin May 9 at campus sites.

For more information about this year's exhilarating women's tennis championship, please be sure to visit the women's tennis championship page on the Patriot League website or click here. .

Sunday, April 20 - Championship Match

No. 1 Army 4, No. 2 Bucknell 3

Singles
1. Tania Varela, Bucknell def. Annie Houghton, Army 7-6, 5-7, 6-0
2. Paulina Gamboa, Bucknell def. Niki Flach, Army 7-6 (7-3), 6-1
3. Sarah Giles-Madden, Army def. Lauren Lucido, Bucknell 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
4. Kristin Beehler, Army def. Carlin Calcaterra, Bucknell 6-1, 6-1
5. Caitlin Finnegan, Army def. Dara Dwojewski, Bucknell 6-2, 6-1
6. Diana Alquero, Army def. Lauren Rottkamp, Bucknell 6-4, 7-5

Doubles
1. Varela/Lucido, Bucknell def. Houghton/Flach, Army 8-6
2. Gamboa/Calcaterra, Bucknell def. Beehler/Giles-Madden, Army 9-7
3. Christine Limsiaco/Bridie Burke, Army def. Dwojewski/Caitlin Baffa, Bucknell 8-5