SAVANNAH, GA – Third-ranked, top-seeded, and defending national champion Armstrong State University defeated 25th-ranked and fifth-seeded Francis Marion University 5-0, Monday morning (May 9) in the title match of the NCAA Division II Women's Tennis Southeast Regional #1 in Savannah, Ga.
Francis Marion ends its season with a 20-7 record, a nine-win improvement over last season, while making its eighth regional title match appearance in the past 10 seasons. Armstrong State (28-1) advances to the Sweet 16 National Championships, which is part of the 2016 NCAA Division II Spring Sports Festival, May 18-21, in Denver. Colo.
The win was also the 164th straight home victory for Armstrong State dating back to 2003, the longest consecutive home-winning streak in collegiate tennis.
Armstrong State took a 3-0 lead with victories in the doubles matches, although two of the contests were tightly contested. The Pirates claimed an 8-0 win at the No.3 position followed by the nationally third-ranked duo of Lena Lutzeier and Diana Stomlega notching an 8-4 win over Samantha Koelliker and Marie Krueger at the No. 1 spot. FMU's Eva Lieben and Anna Wintrich dropped a close 8-6 decision to Alejandra Cisneros and Carolina Prats-Millan at the No.2 position.
The Pirates clinched their berth in the Round of 16 with a pair of 6-0, 6-0 singles wins – Lena Pacholski defeated Patriot freshman Kristel Kalm at No.6 and Cisneros, the ninth-ranked singles player in Division II, beat FMU sophomore Sofia Henning at No.3.
This was the first NCAA Tournament appearance for every Patriot team member but Koelliker. The young FMU squad will lose only two seniors, none of whom participated in Monday's match.
Women's Tennis Match Results
May 09, 2016 at Savannah, Ga. (Bacon Park)
#3 Armstrong State 5, #25 Francis Marion University 0
Singles competition
1. #4 Lena Lutzeier (ARMST) vs. Marie Krueger (FMU_W) 6-0, 3-2, unfinished
2. #6 Nicole Fossa Huergo (ARMST) vs. Samantha Koelliker (FMU_W) 5-4, unfinished
3. #9 Alejandra Cisneros (ARMST) def. Sofia Henning (FMU_W) 6-0, 6-0
4. #44 Carolina PratsMillan (ARMST) vs. Anna Wintrich (FMU_W) 6-1, 1-1, unfinished
5. Diana Stomlega (ARMST) vs. Anilu Barraza Araiza (FMU_W) 6-0, 3-0, unfinished
6. Lena Pacholski (ARMST) def. Kristel Kalm (FMU_W) 6-0, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. #3 Lena Lutzeier/Diana Stomlega (ARMST) def. Samantha Koelliker/Marie Krueger (FMU_W) 8-4
2. Alejandra Cisneros/Carolina PratsMillan (ARMST) def. Eva Lieben/Anna Wintrich (FMU_W) 8-6
3. Nicole Fossa Huergo/Lena Pacholski (ARMST) def. Anilu Barraza Araiza/Sofia Henning (FMU_W) 8-0
Match Notes: Francis Marion University 20-7; National ranking #25; Regional ranking #5
Armstrong State 28-1; National ranking #3; Regional ranking #1
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (6,3)
2016 NCAA Division II Women's Tennis Southeast Regional #1 – Title Match
T-2:01 A-105
