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ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. -- The 34th-ranked Slippery Rock University women's tennis team opens NCAA Division II national Round of 16 competition at 10:30 a.m. today at Sanlando Park.
The Rock, which owns a 21-5 record, will take on 50th-ranked St. Cloud State of Minnesota, which has a 23-6 record, for the right to play in a 9 a.m. quarterfinal match Thursday.
SRU is making its third appearance in the NCAA Round of 16 and seeks its first-ever berth in a national quarterfinal. The Green and White lost their Round of 16 match in each of its previous trips to the national event (2003 and 2008).
SRU, which reached the 20-win plateau for the fourth consecutive season and also competed in NCAA regional competition for a fourth straight season, earned its Round of 16 berth in convincing fashion last weekend in competition hosted by SRU. The Green and White recorded 5-0 wins over Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference rivals indiana and Bloomsburg on back-to-back days last Friday and Saturday.
The SRU-St. Cloud State winner faces either fourth-ranked Lynn University of Florida (23-3) or No. 12 Abilene Christian University of Texas (25-7) in a national quarterfinal match. Lynn and Abilene Christian will meet in a Round of 16 match at 10:30 a.m. today.
National semifinal matches are set for 9 a.m. Friday with the national championship duel set for 9 a.m. Saturday.
The complete list of today's Round of 16 matchups is as follows:
#2 Barry, Fla. (21-3) vs. unranked Nebraska-Kearney (17-5), 9 a.m.
#1 Armstrong Atlantic, Ga. (29-0) vs. #20 Northeastern State, Okla. (15-4), 9 a.m.
#6 California, Pa. (23-5) vs. #28 Grand Valley State, Mich. (22-8), 9 a.m.
#9 Hawaii Pacific (19-4) vs. #35 Concordia, N.Y. (17-1), 9 a.m.
#4 Lynn, Fla. (23-3) vs. #12 Abilene Christian, Texas (25-7), 10:30 a.m.
#34 Slippery Rock (21-5) vs. #50 St. Cloud State, Minn. (23-6), 10:30 a.m.
#16 Northwood, Mich. (17-1) vs. #44 Queens, N.Y. (21-3), 10:30 a.m.
#3 BYU-Hawaii (29-0) vs. #10 Clayton State, Ga. (18-7)
The Rock lineup includes seniors #Laura Handy
# (Pittsburgh/Upper St. Clair HS),
Jessica Hilborn (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington North HS) and
Casey Runyan (Hermitage/Hickory HS); junior
Chelsea Gibson (Saxonburg/Knoch HS), sophomores
Dunja Drmac (Split, Croatia/Long Island City HS) and
Sarah Lynch (Gibsonia/Pine Richland HS) and freshmen
Janelle Krantz (Quarryville/Solanco HS) and
Michelle McCutcheon (Franklin/Rocky Grove HS).
Rock Head Coach
Matt Meredith, in his 12th season at the helm , sends Handy and Drmac out for No. 1 doubles matches, Gibson and Hilborn for #2 doubles matches and Lynch and Krantz for #3 doubles matches.
The duo of Handy and Drmac have compiled a 20-3 record in regular-season action this season, the Gibson-Hilborn duo had a 10-11 record and the Lynch-Krantz tandem had a 15-3 record.
The Rock's singles lineup features Handy at #1, Lynch at #2, Drmac at #3, Gibson at #4, Hilborn at #5 and Runyan at #6.
Handy, who was selected last week as the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's Atlantic Regional "Senior Player of the Year," compiled an 18-7 record in regular-season singles matches this season. Lynch owned a sparkling 18-1 record, Drmac was 19-4, Gibson 11-9, Hilborn 12-9 and Runyan 16-5.
Handy and Lynch were both named as All-PSAC-West performers as singles players this season, while the Handy-Drmac doubldes duo also garnered all-conference honors.
Handy ranks third on SRU's career wins chart with a 167-57 record in four Rock seasons.
