MIAMI SHORES, Fla.—Berit Peterson posted a three-set win over Margaret Junker to propel the Barry Buccaneers past the Rollins Tars 5-3 in the championship match of the NCAA Division II Women’s Tennis Southeast Region-II Tournament at the Buccaneer Tennis Center on Saturday.
Peterson, who had not beaten Junker in two previous meetings, split sets, losing the first 6-3 but coming back to take the second 6-1. In the third set, with the match on the line, she powered her way to a 6-2 win.
The Bucs (20-6) and Tars (23-3) split the top two doubles. Eleventh-ranked Ildiko Csordas and Caroline Stevens pulled a mild upset over ninth-ranked Marnie Mahler and Roshni Luthra 8-2 at number one to give the Bucs an early lead. At number two, Rollins’ Sonia Bernal and Junker rallied from down 5-2 to win 9-7 over Barry’s Helen Wisniewski and Angie Werschel.
With the doubles lead on the line, Barry’s Olivia Lilien and Peterson pulled out an 8-6 victory over Silvia Frandji and Anastasiya Shevchenko at number three after being down a break at 4-3.
Singles started out with a different tone, however. The Tars quickly took leads by winning first sets at one, two and five. Barry’s Lilien put the pressure on the Tars by beating Cassie Webster, who was subbing for Silvia Frandji, 6-1, 6-0 at number six.
Werschel, ranked 33 by the ITA, made almost equally short work of Shevchenko at number three, winning 6-0, 6-2 to make it 4-1 Barry.
But Mahler took a commanding lead in the second set over Csordas and Luthra finally solved Wisniewski and both were racing to the finish line. As Peterson was playing her final game against Junker, both Mahler and Luthra closed out their matches to make the final 5-3.
The Buccaneers advance to the NCAA Division II National Tournament at the Spring Sports Festival in Houston, Texas May 14-17. They will face the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats in the round of 16 on Wednesday.
Tennis Match Results
Rollins vs Barry
5/10/2008 at Miami Shores, Fla.
(Buccaneer Tennis Center)
#8 Barry 5, #9 Rollins 3
Singles competition
1. #13 Marnie Mahler (RCW) def. #8 Ildiko Csordas (BUW) 6-4, 6-3
2. #23 Caroline Stevens (BUW) vs. Sonia Bernal (RCW) 1-6, 5-4, unfinished
3. #33 Angie Werschel (BUW) def. Anastasiya Shevchenko (RCW) 6-0, 6-2
4. Roshni Luthra (RCW) def. Helen Wisniewski (BUW) 6-4, 6-0
5. Berit Peterson (BUW) def. Margaret Junker (RCW) 3-6, 6-1, 6-2
6. Olivia Lilien (BUW) def. Cassie Webster (RCW) 6-1, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. #11 Ildiko Csordas/Caroline Stevens (BUW) def. #9 Roshni Luthra/Marnie Mahler (RCW) 8-2
2. Sonia Bernal/Margaret Junker (RCW) def. Helen Wisniewski/Angie Werschel (BUW) 9-7
3. Olivia Lilien/Berit Peterson (BUW) def. Silvia Frandji/Anastasiya Shevchenko (RCW) 8-6
Match Notes:
Rollins 23-3; National ranking #9
Barry 20-6; National ranking #8
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (,6,3,1,4,5)
Official: Cecil Wise