Rowan-Gloucester wins third consecutive DIII women's tennis title
October 24, 2014
Championship Home – Complete Results
Release courtesy of Kevin Hanlon, Rockland Community College (N.Y.)
FLUSHING, N.Y. – Winning seven of nine championship flights, Rowan College of Gloucester County (N.J.) – formerly known as Gloucester County College – secured its third consecutive NJCAA Championship in Division III women’s tennis Friday afternoon at historic USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y.
Rowan – Gloucester is the first program in NJCAA history to win three straight championships in DIII women’s tennis.
First year players Leah Jayne and Kerri Hayden, along with tournament veterans Kelly Davis, Marthalyn Johnson and Becky Pierpont all earned national titles for the Roadrunners in the second thru sixth singles flights, respectively. Later in the day, Peirpont successfully teamed up with Lauren Palmerchuck to win the No. 2 doubles division, while Hayden paired with Johnson to win No. 3 doubles.
The only blemish to Rowan - Gloucester’s near sweep came in the No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles competition. Nicole Druzhinsky of Fashion Institute (N.Y.) dealt Camden’s Shenida Watkins a 6-3, 6-4 defeat to capture the top singles division. Druzhinsky and fellow FIT teammate Spenser Corson then won a dramatic championship match in No. 1 doubles, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(3), over Sarah Bailey and Stefanie Ebo from Oxford – Emory (Ga.). Druzhinsky was honored with the tournament’s Spirit of Competition Award for her efforts.
First year coach, Kelly Hernandez was named the Coach of the Tournament after leading the Roadrunners to an impressive 39 point total. Oxford Emory tallied 28 points and took home the runner-up trophy. Fashion Institute (25) outdueled Illinois Valley (24) by one point to finish third.