Rangers Claim Landmark Conference Crown

MADISON, N.J. (May 8, 2010) - The top-seeded Drew Women's Tennis team captured their first Landmark Conference Championship this afternoon defeating #2 Moravian, 5-2. With the win the Rangers get an automatic bid to the upcoming NCAA Tournament.

The Rangers swept doubles play to open up a 3-0 advantage on the Greyhounds. After wins from number one and number three doubles, the duo of Michelle Gbelama (Trenton, N.J./Trenton Central) and Chelsea Lipp (Old Lyme, Conn./Old Lyme) picked up the third win of the day in a tiebreaker at number two doubles.

Only two wins away from clinching the title, Lipp got to work quickly and defeated Alex Van Buskirk 6-0, 6-0 to make the score 4-0. The Greyhounds would not go down without a fight as they took number two singles and number six singles to make the score 4-2. Hayley Downing (Cliffside Park, N.J./Immaculate Heart Academy), who had been steadily winning games in number three singles, completed a straight-set victory to clinch Drew's third conference championship in school history.

The Rangers finish their schedule off winning their last nine matches and went unblemished in conference play for the first time ever.The win will give Drew an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III tournament and  it will wait  until Monday night for the brackets to be released. Please check back on drewrangers.com for the latest scheduling info.

Singles competition
1. Vivian Peng (DREW) vs. Jami Fein (MOR) 6-4, 4-0, unfinished
2. Chelsea Ott (MOR) def. Michelle Gbelama (DREW) 6-1, 6-3
3. Sarit Ashkenazi (DREW) vs. Kerry McKinley (MOR) 6-2, 1-2, unfinished
4. Hayley Downing (DREW) def. Anna Meola (MOR) 6-3, 6-2
5. Chelsea Lipp (DREW) def. Alex Van Buskirk (MOR) 6-0, 6-0
6. Brianna Kavanagh (MOR) def. Sophia-ye Chen (DREW) 6-2, 6-1

Doubles competition
1. Vivian Peng/Sarit Ashkenazi (DREW) def. Jami Fein/Kerry McKinley (MOR) 8-3
2. Michelle Gbelama/Chelsea Lipp (DREW) def. Anna Meola/Chelsea Ott (MOR) 9-8 (7-5)
3. Hayley Downing/Cristine Conde (DREW) def. Beth Endy/Brianna Kavanagh (MOR) 8-4