VERONA, NY- The Hartwick women's tennis team swept all of its singles matches and took two of three in doubles as the Hawks defeated Utica 8-1 on Tuesday afternoon at the Sportsplex at Turning Stone Casino.  Hartwick improves its record to 5-5 overall and 4-2 in the Empire 8 while the Pioneers fall to 1-7 and 0-6 in the Empire 8.

The win clinches a spot for Hartwick in the Empire 8 Tournament. It is the first time since the Empire 8 went to a four-team playoff format in 2007 that the Hawks have qualified for postseason play.

The lone loss for the Hawks came in first doubles. The duo of Nicole Schepisi (Rensselaer, NY/Columbia) and Lysandra Tetreault (Saugerties, NY/Saugerties) lost in a tiebreaker 9-8 to Rose Zaloom and Jennifer Persio. Lauren Michels (Clinton, NY/Clinton) and Rebecca Clark (Mexico, NY/Mexico) won in second doubles 8-1 over Melanie Guzman and Heather Brisson. Kristen Napolitano (Mt. Sinai, NY/Mt. Sinai) and Samantha Boyce (Schaghticoke, NY/Greenwich) were victorious over Elise Pepe and Andrenna Sykes 8-0.

The longest match of the day was in third singles. Clark outlasted Persio in a super tie-breaker 7-5, 4-6, 10-7. Schepisi had a close two-set victory over Rose Zaloom, 6-3, 6-4. Tetreault, Napolitano and Ruth Jones (Ossining, NY/Ossining) all had 6-0, 6-0 wins in fourth, fifth, and sixth singles.

The Hawks return to Oneonta to face the Red Dragons tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m.