Binghamton, NY – The State University of New York at New Paltz women's tennis season came to an end at the hands of the Geneseo Knights in the SUNYAC finals Monday. The Hawks battled to a four-hour long match, but ultimately fell 5-3.
 
In last year's final SUNY New Paltz dropped all three doubles matches and the deficit was too much to overcome. The focus of this year's team has been doubles all season long, so they could take a point or two from the Knights. The hard work and practice paid off as the Hawks pulled out the third doubles point with a dramatic 9-7 victory from Lindsay Haley and Jenna Grandville.
 
Only down a point heading into singles play, the Hawks quickly evened up the score at 2-2 thanks to a decisive victory Lindsay Haley at sixth singles, 6-2, 6-1.
 
Courtney Koran was unbeaten all year in the singles lineup for SUNY New Paltz whether at fourth or fifth singles, until she dropped a 6-2, 6-3 decision at fifth singles to give back a one point lead for Geneseo. Koran's doubles partner, Emi Lewis, wasn't going to let that lead stand for long as she won at fourth singles after taking a crucial second-set tiebreaker to win her match, 6-2, 7-6.
 
The Knights put themselves one match away from taking their seventh-straight title after a 6-2, 7-6 victory of their own at third singles, as tournament Most Valuable Player Annika Pornpitaksuk defeated Jenna Grandville. The match came down to the top two singles matches.
 
It came down to Hawks senior leaders Brittany Grandville and Carol Tyson to get the job done. Grandville got down 2-5 in the opening set and after running three-straight games to even the set, she ended up falling, 7-5. At second singles Tyson was back-and-forth with Vanessa Lam-Tran, but dropped the opening set in a tiebreaker. Grandville found her groove in the second set as she sliced and lobbed her way to a 6-4 win to force a final and deciding third set. However, before Grandville could finish her come-back at first singles, Tyson lost the second set 6-3 and the Knights clinched the championship.
 
"I'm very proud of our team," said SUNY New Paltz coach Rob Bruley. "We gave it everything we had and have nothing to be ashamed about. We left everything on the court. I'm very proud of the way our team represented our athletic department."

Jenna Grandville and Lindsay Haley were named to the All-Tournament Team for third doubles, while Haley also garnered the All-Tournament nod for her play at sixth singles.
 
This tournament marked the 15^th consecutive SUNYAC finals appearance for the Hawks as they finished 6-3 on the year.