HOUGHTON, NY – The Hartwick tennis team could not write their storybook ending on Saturday afternoon, as the second-seeded Hawks succumbed in the program's first ever Empire 8 Championship to top-seeded Nazareth by a 5-3 scoreline. The Golden Flyers have now won back-to-back conference titles, as they took the belt in the pandemic-shortened spring 2021 season as well. The Hawks finish the fall at 9-3 overall, among the best records in school history. They will have a chance to improve on that come the spring season.
The day started out promising for Hartwick, as they claimed two of three doubles points. Ryann Ashby (Malta, NY/Ballston Spa) and Val Kohberger (Seneca Falls, NY/Mynderse Academy) once again beat Lauren Carr and Lily Bulkeley by an 8-3 score at second doubles (just like they did in the regular season), while Colleen Marsh (Marcellus, NY/Marcellus) and Jess Sexton (South Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls) took out Theresa Hecht and Gwen Burns at third doubles, 8-5. Victoria Wilson (Trenton, NJ/Trenton Catholic Academy) and Jade Killikelly (Jamaica, NY/The Mary Louis Academy) could not quite get it done at top pairing, falling to Aliya Guzman and Claire Pullen by an 8-3 score.
Marsh was the lone winner for the Hawks in singles play, downing Caroline Breitweiser in straight sets (6-1, 6-0) at the fifth flight. Nazareth's four singles wins were all in straight sets, at #1, #2, #4, and #6 singles. The third singles matchup, between Wilson and Carr, went unfinished.
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