MECER COUNTY, N.J. – The LIU Brooklyn women's tennis team will play for a Northeast Conference championship title this Saturday, April 19. The #2 seeded-Blackbirds advanced to the finals with a 4-1 win over #3 seed Bryant Friday afternoon.
 
This was the second time LIU and Bryant have met this season, when the Blackbirds won, 4-3, in a match played in Puerto Rico. Though the temperature was colder this time around, the tennis was hotter, as LIU blazed to the win.
 
In doubles, the two teams had nearly identical results to the March match. Bryant had wins in the Nos.1 and 2 doubles spots to clinch the team point, while LIU won in the No.3 spot. At No.1, Rosie Bird and Ryan Brown teamed up to beat junior Sanne Louwers and senior Lisa Maas, 8-2. And at No.2, Marion Boullin and Briana Leonard beat freshman Isabella Wagener and junior Katya Yegoreychenko, 8-0, to clinch the team point. But LIU did get a win, as junior Nancy Zonneveld and freshman Marine Dans beat Stephanie Smyers and Devlin Ammendola, 7-3.
 
And just like when the two teams met last, LIU was able to rally and take four singles matches to win. They did it in dominant fashion this time around, however. Last time Zonneveld faced off against Leonard in the No.5 single spot, she lost in a three-set battle. This time, she dominated, taking a 6-2, 6-1 win to tie the team score at 1-1. Dans and Wagener also won in straight sets, as they had in March. Dans beat Bird at No.3, 6-0, 6-1, and Wagener downed Ammendola, 6-3, 6-1. Lisa Maas and Brittany Thompson were both cotintuing to battle, in matches that had gone to three sets, and would remain unfinished if Louwers was able to clinch the win.
 
And it was junior Sanne Louwers' play at No.1 singles that took the match for LIU. Last time Louwers and Boullin played, Louwers got the win in three sets. This time, it only took two. Louwers won the first set, 6-4, and started the second set down. Boullin was able to go up, 5-0, before Louwers made an incredible comeback. Louwers went on to win seven straight games, and take the set and the match, 6-4, 7-5. Her win will send LIU back to the finals for the first time since 2010.
 
The Blackbirds will face off against #1 seed and defending NEC champions Fairleigh Dickinson, Saturday, April 19 at 1 p.m. The FDU women are seeking a fifth NEC Championship, including their third straight, while LIU is out for a third NEC title and its first since 2010. Fans can follow the match via live blog here.
 
2014 NEC Women's Tennis Tournament - Semifinals

LIU Brooklyn 4, Bryant 1

Doubles
1. Bird/Brown (BRY) def. Louwers/Maas (LIU) 8-2
2. Bouillin/Leonard (BRY) def. Wagener/Katya Yegoreychenko (LIU) 8-0
3. Zonneveld/Dans (LIU) def. Smyers/Ammendola  (BRY) 7-3
 
Singles
1. Sanne Louwers (LIU) def. Marion Boullin (BRY) 6-4, 7-5
2. Lisa Maas (LIU) vs. Ryan Brown (BRY) 1-6, 7-6 (7-3), 1-1, unfinished
3. Marine Dans (LIU) def. Rosie Bird (BRY) 6-0, 6-1
4. Isabella Wagener (LIU) def. Devlin-Ann Ammendola  (BRY) 6-3, 6-1
5. Nancy Zonneveld (LIU) def. Briana Leonard (BRY) 6-2, 6-1
6. Brittany Thompson (LIU) vs. Stephanie Smyers (BRY) 6-2, 3-6, 3-2, unfinished