ONEONTA, NY –  Ceremony before the match, celebration after it. The Hartwick tennis team celebrated seniors Victoria Wilson (Trenton, NJ/Trenton Catholic Academy) and Jessica Best (Niskayuna, NY/Colonie) before their 2:30 match against Alfred, and then dispatched the Saxons 5-4 to clinch a spot in the Empire 8 Tournament. Hartwick is now 7-2 on the year and 4-1 in conference, while Alfred is 3-6 overall and 2-3 in the Empire 8.

The Hawks picked up all three doubles points, and they sure ended up needing them. Top pairing Wilson and Jade Killikelly (Jamaica, NY/The Mary Louis Academy) defeated Macy Youngberg and Lauren Boshart by an 8-5 score, as did Colleen Marsh (Marcellus, NY/Marcellus) and Jess Sexton (South Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls) to their opponents at third pairing. Ryann Ashby (Malta, NY/Ballston Spa) and Val Kohberger (Seneca Falls, NY/Mynderse Academy) had a narrower triumph at second pairing but still came out on top, 8-7 with a 7-5 tiebreaker margin. Best and Cathrine Holderer (Perry, NY/Perry Central) won their exhibition doubles match by an 8-2 score.

The Hawks ended up with just two of six points at singles; lucky for them, that was enough for the win. Killikelly knocked off her #1 singles opponent Anna Gwozdz by a 6-1, 6-0 margin. After losses at #2-#5, Marsh came through big time for the Hawks at #6 singles. After she and Eve Liu traded 7-5 victories in sets one and two, Marsh picked up a 6-3 win in the third set for the overall team victory. Best was also triumphant in her final home match, winning her exhibition singles contest by a 3-6, 7-5, 10-4 score.

The Hawks round out their Empire 8 slate next Saturday, as they take on Utica on the road at 1 p.m.

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