PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- The 23rd-ranked Rock rang up its 18th and 19th wins of the season over the weekend when it defeated NCAA Division II East Regional rivals Holy Family and Queens (N.Y.) by 5-1 and 5-0 scores, respectively.
The wins improved SRU's season record to 19-2 and further solidified the Green and White's status as the No. 2 team in the region. That bodes well for SRU's bid to host one of the two regional tournaments May 8-10.
The only defeats on The Rock's record this season came at the hands of Carnegie Mellon, the No. 9-ranked team in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association Division III national ranking, and California U. of Pa., the No. 5 team in the ITA Division II national poll.
The Rock methodically defeated both Holy Family and Queens in its final tuneup for next weekend's Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Team Championships in Bloomsburg.
Semifinal action Friday will pit SRU, the No. 2 seed from the PSAC-Western Divivision, against the host team, the No. 1 seed from the PsAC-East, and West No. 1 California vs. East No. 2 Kutztown.
Friday's winners will meet Saturday in the conference finals.
Complete results of the matches were as follows:
ROCK 5, HOLY FAMILY 1
Doubles
No. 1 -- #ayla Blackburn# / Laura Handy (SR) def. Shakir Willett/Quena Borres 8-5
No. 2 -- Lauren Neill/Liana Lui (HF) def. Samantha Blackburn / Jessica Hilborn 8-4
No. 3 -- #Chelsea Gibson# / Lara Rizzi (SR) def. Melanie Pulsinelli/Ashley Berge 8-4
Singles
No. 1 --- K. Blackburn (SR) def. Neill 6-4, 6-3
No. 2 -- Handy (SR) def. Borres 6-2, 6-4
No. 3 -- S. Blackburn (SR) def. f Willett 6-3, 6-2
ROCK 5, QUEENS 0
Doubles
No. 1 -- K. Blackburn/Handy (SR) def. Alyssa Morra/Jessie Franklin 8-2
No. 2 -- S. Blackburn/Hilborn (SR) def. Laura Mocodeanu/Kirby Reiss 8-5
No. 3 -- Gibson/Rizzi (SR) def. Jennifer Meridith/Maria Perevezentseva 8-6
Singles
No. 1 -- K. Blackburn (SR) def. Morra 6-2, 6-0
No. 5 -- Gibson (SR) def. Meridith 6-0, def, inj.