PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The 24th-ranked Rock earned its second berth in NCAA Division II national round of 16 competition Saturday morning with a 5-1 win over Bryant University in one of the two East Regional finals.

The win improved the Green and White's season record to 22-3 and moved SRU into an 8 a.m. match Wednesday vs. third-seeded Valdosta State (Ga.) in Round of 16 competition in Houston, Texas.

The Rock will be making its second trip to NCAA Round of 16 competition. SRU also reached that elite level of competition in 2003.

Freshman Samantha Blackburn paced The Rock's winning effort Saturday as she recorded wins in both her singles and doubles matches. She won the No. 3 singles match in three sets (1-6, 6-2, 6-0) and teamed with Jessica Hilborn to win the No. 2 doubles match by an 8-3 score.

The Rock held a 2-1 lead at the end of doubles play as Chelsea Gibson and Lara Rizzi took the No. 3 match by an 8-5 score.

SRU then recorded wins in the first three singles matches to record the team victory.

Kayla Blackburn, Samantha's older sister, won the No. 1 singles match by a 6-3, 6-3 score and #Laura Handy# claimed the No. 2 singles match by a 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) score.

Handy's win was recorded after the Blackburn sisters had claimed victory and, thus, clinched the team victory for SRU.

Complete results of Saturday's match included: