FLUSHING, N.Y. – Looking to win their 10
th East Coast Conference Women's Tennis Championship in program history, the most in ECC history, and first title since Spring 2021, the #1 seed Queens College women's tennis team would match up against #2 seed and two-time defending champions Spartans of St. Thomas Aquinas College Saturday evening inside the QC Indoor Tennis Bubble.
Matching up against the Spartans for the third straight year to determine the champion, Queens would clinch the doubles points at courts #1 and #3 to take an early 1-0 lead. But as the Spartans tied the match 1-1 with a singles victory at #5 court, the Knights would complete the win earning victories at courts #3, and #4 before All-ECC Second Team honoree junior
Regina Ruiz (Mexico City, Mexico) clinched the match with a three-set victory at #6 court as Queens earned a 4-1 victory to knock off the defending champions.
With the win, the Knights improved to 6-1 overall on the year and clinched the automatic bid to the NCAA Women's Tennis Tournament set for May 2025.
DOUBLES ACTION
The #1 senior doubles pair of All-ECC Second Team honorees
Maja Makal (Bialystok, Poland) and
Saga Berggren (Uddevalla, Sweden) began the evening by earning a 6-4 victory over Courtney Fyvie and Elita Silins for an early 1-0 lead in doubles action.
With Queens in full control of the doubles action at #2 and #3 courts and both scores in favor of the Knights at 5-3, it would be the #3 doubles duo of All-ECC Second Team honoree graduate student
Kyra Bergmann (Forest Hills, N.Y.) and rookie
Sakura Saito (Chiba, Japan) earning a 6-3 victory over Elise Semmartin and Mar Caneves with Saito sealing the victory with an ace as Queens took a 1-0 lead into singles play.
Queens #2 doubles duo of graduate student
Eva Rivoal (Saint-Denis-de-Pile, France) and junior
Apolline Lamy (Toulouse, France) match went unfinished.
SINGLES ACTION
Needing three singles to victory to clinch the match and taking a 1-0 lead in the championship match for the second straight year, it would be the Spartans who took the first singles point as they tied the match at 1-1 with Berggren falling in two-sets against Kateryna Kryuchkova to the score of 2-6, 0-6.
In the 2023 Championship match it would be the Spartans who won four singles match to clinch a repeat, but fast forward a year, the Knights would stick to the task at the other courts as they looked to knock off the defending champions.
Queens would being the championship victory by quickly retaking the lead as All-ECC first team honoree senior
Caroline Hany-Fawzy (Alexandria, Egypt) defeated Fyvie in straight sets to the score of 6-2, 6-1 at #3 singles as the Knights took a 2-1 lead.
Lamy at #4 singles would knock off Semmartin in straight sets to the score of 6-2, 6-3 as Queens extended their lead to 3-1.
Down to three singles actions at courts #1, #2, and #6, it would be a thrilling end to the championship match.
As Rivoal went toe-to-toe against ECC Player and Rookie of the Year Anaya Brons at #1 singles with Rivoal earning a first-set victory to the score of 7-6
(7-2), Brons would force the third set with a 6-3 second set victory.
While at #2 singles Makal earned a 6-3 victory over Silins before both dueled it out in the second set with Silins earning a back-and-forth second set victory to the score of 7-6
(9-7) to force the third set.
At #6 singles Ruiz shutout Ombeline Robilliart in the first set to the score of 6-0 before Robilliart forced the deciding third set with a 6-4 second set victory to set up an exciting final to determine the winner.
But with Queens determined to win the match, Ruiz would quickly bounce back in the third set with a convincing third set shutout victory to the score of 6-0 as Queens knocked off the defending champions to earn their 10
th ECC title in program history.
With the victory head coach
Alan Nagel and the Knights clinched their 23
rd appearance to the big dance set for May 2025.
The 2025 portion of the Knights' schedule will be released in February as Queens looks to bolster their resume for the NCAA Tournament.
For the latest news on Queens College Athletics, follow the Knights at queensknights.com or via social media on Facebook (Queens College Athletics), Twitter (@QCKnights), and Instagram (qcknightsny), Women's Tennis (qcwtennis).
