WEST WINSOR, N.J. - The top-seeded LIU Brooklyn women's tennis team cruised to a victory in the first round of the Northeast Conference Tournament at the Mercer County Tennis Center Friday afternoon, beating No. 8 seed St. Francis Brooklyn, 4-1. All four LIU singles wins came in straight sets, as the Blackbirds would not even drop a game.
The Blackbirds forfeited at No.6 singles due to injury, giving the Terriers one point right out of the gate. But LIU didn't need the cushion, sweeping SFBK in every other spot.
At No.1 singles, senior Sanne Louwers beat Jennifer Gonzalez, 6-0, 6-0. Sophomore Marine Dans echoed that win in her No.2 spot victory, where she beat Dragana Dzigurski, 6-0, 6-0. Sophomore Isabella Wagener and senior Nancy Zonneveld were also perfect at Nos. 4 and 5 singles, beating Jovana Bojinovic and Rebecca Mars, respectively, both 6-0, 6-0. Freshman Juweria Hussain was up in the No. 5 spot on De'Zhane Bennett, 6-0, 1-0, when the match was called because the Blackbirds had clinched the win.
With the quarterfinal victory, LIU advances to the semifinals, where they will take on No.5 seed and three-time defending NEC Champions, Fairleigh Dickinson. The two teams faced off just last Friday, with the Blackbirds coming out on top, 5-2. FDU and LIU will face off in the semifinals, Saturday, April 18 at 9 a.m., while No.2 seed Bryant will take on No. 3 seed Saint Francis U. in the other semifinal match, also at 9 a.m.
Click here to follow the match with the NEC's live blog.
#1 LIU Brooklyn 4, #8 St. Francis Brooklyn 1
Singles
1. Sanne Louwers (LIU) def. Jennifer Gonzalez (SFBK) 6-0, 6-0
2. Marine Dans (LIU) def. Dragana Dzigurski (SFBK) 6-0, 6-0
3. Isabella Wagener (LIU) def. Jovana Bojinovic (SFBK) 6-0, 6-0
4. Nancy Zonneveld (LIU) def. Rebecca Mares (SFBK) 6-0, 6-0
5. Juweria Hussain (LIU) vs. De'Zhane Bennett (SFBK) 6-0, 1-0, unfinished
6. Natasha Edwards (SFBK) def. No player (LIU), by default
Doubles
1. Jovana Bojinovic/Dragana Dzigurski (SFBK) vs. Sanne Louwers/Marine Dans (LIU) no result
2. Jennifer Gonzalez/De'Zhane Bennett (SFBK) vs. Isabella Wagener/Juweria Hussain (LIU) no result
3. Rebecca Mares/Natasha Edwards (SFBK) vs. No player/No player (LIU) no result
Match Notes:
2015 NEC Women's Tennis Championships - Quarterfinals - Match #4