April 18, 2008

Box Score

Erie, Pa. - Trying to make a case for an NCAA Division II playoff spot, the Mercyhurst women's tennis team rolled to a 9-0 victory over Tiffin in its final home game of the year Friday. Senior Jennifer Daly rolled to a pair of wins in the final home match of her career.

The Lakers are ranked No. 8 in the Great Lakes Region and the top eight teams advance to the NCAA Division II playoffs. Mercyhurst solidified its spot with a dominating effort against the Tiffin Dragons.

Daly and Kim Ezzo pulled away for an 8-3 victory at No. 1 doubles and Jaclyn McLean and Meghan Raynor followed suit with an 8-2 win at No. 2. Natalie Iovino and Kelton Macke also picked up an 8-6 win at No. 3 doubles.

Mercyhurst dropped just one set in singles play as Ezzo set the tone with a 6-2, 6-2 victory at the top of the lineup. Daly added a 6-4, 6-2 win at No. 2, while McLean and Raynor won identical 6-2, 7-5 matches at No. 3 and No. 4. Macke bounced back from being blanked in the opening set and dropped just one game over the final two sets for an 0-6, 6-1, 6-0 victory. Iovino closed out the sweep with a 6-1, 6-3 victory at No. 6.

With one road match remaining plus a possible postseason berth, Daly now has 95 career singles and doubles wins. She is 41-53 in four years of singles play, beginning her career at No. 5 as a freshman and playing either No. 1 or No. 2 from that point forward. She is also 54-45 in doubles, playing the vast majority of her matches at one of the top two doubles spots.

Tiffin drops to 8-8 on the season and Mercyhurst improves to 13-8. The Lakers will play at Clarion Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.