2010 NORTHEAST-10 CHAMPIONSHIP
#1 Southern N.H. Tops #2 Stonehill for Title, 5-2

Penmen capture first NE-10 women's championship in any sport with first tennis title

The Skyhawks were making their second-straight NE-10 championship appearance on Sunday. (PHOTO BY Richard Orr)

EASTON, Mass. (April 25, 2010) – Top-seeded Southern New Hampshire University, ranked third in this week's NCAA Division II East Regional rankings, captured its first Northeast-10 women's championship in any sport with a 5-2 victory over second-seeded and fourth-ranked Stonehill College in the championship match of the 2010 NE-10 Women's Tennis Championship at Charles Watt Tennis Court, on the Stonehill campus, this afternoon.

Sophomore Sarah Hickey earned a spot on the NE-10 All-Championship team, along with doubles partner Chelsea Haedrich.

Southern New Hampshire (19-1, 13-0 NE-10) extends its winning streak to 18 matches with the win and earns the Northeast-10's automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament. Stonehill (17-3, 12-1 NE-10), which was seeking its second-straight NE-10 title, is likely to receive an at-large NCAA Tournament bid when they are announced on Wednesday.

Juniors Amber Chandronnait (Bow, N.H./Bow) and Catalina Echeverry (Cali, Columbia), along with freshman Alena Mukdaprakorn (Hartford, Conn./Kingswood Oxford) were all double-winners for Southern New Hampshire on the afternoon and represent the Penmen on the NE-10 All-Championship team. Mukdaprakorn clinched the title for the Penmen with a 7-5, 6-0 win over Stonehill sophomore Amy Toegemann (Narragansett, R.I./The Lincoln School) at second singles. She also teamed up with Chandronnait for an 8-2 decision at first doubles.

Chandronnait, ranked 31^st nationally in singles play, didn't drop a game in her straight-sets win over Stonehill junior Lindsey Herchel (Hampden, Mass./Minnechaug Regional) at first singles. Echeverry drew the Penmen within one of the team title with her 6-0, 6-1 win over Stonehill sophomore Lindsay Simmons (Wethersfield, Conn./Wethersfield) at third singles. Echeverry also combined with senior Alison Waring (Westboro, Mass./Framingham) for a key 8-4 win over Toegemann and freshman Jacqueline Harrow (North Reading, Mass./North Reading) at No. 2 doubles to clinch a 2-1 lead for the Penmen following doubles play.

Sophomore Sarah Hickey (Lee, Mass./Lee) played a role in both Stonehill points in the match. She rolled to a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Waring at fourth singles to boost her career singles record to 34-0. She teamed up with freshman Chelsea Haedrich (Islip, N.Y./Islip) for an 8-1 triumph at third doubles that gave the Skyhawks a quick 1-0 lead in the match. The two were also named to the NE-10's All-Championship team.

#1 Southern New Hampshire 5, #2 Stonehill 2

Singles:

*Doubles:

 * - doubles matches played first