Binghamton, NY — The State University of New York at New Paltz never spoke once about getting back into the SUNYAC Championship game.
 
The Hawks' three-straight dynasty run ended last spring against the Oneonta Red Dragons and all year coach Rob Bruley set up his schedule to prepare his team for a run at the program's eighth conference title. On Saturday, they finally avenged that loss to the same Red Dragons team but this time left no doubt who the better team was, sweeping Oneonta, 5-0 to re-claim a coveted SUNYAC Championship.
 
"It's haunted me for 52 weeks," Bruley said. "We've never talked about it all year. We didn't say a word of getting to the final. It wasn't until last night when we got through that we even mentioned that we're playing Oneonta in the final.
 
"I'm always relived," he continued. "I'm pleased to say – I was a bit more relaxed today. I said to the team try and enjoy it. You never know what's going to happen and if you'll be back and I think they did enjoy it. I think they made the college and the whole athletic department proud."
 
SUNY New Paltz swept doubles play to gain a quick 3-0 lead to start with Justine Stanejko and Loretta Donovan winning at first doubles, 8-1 and Isabel van der Venn and Alex Chimenti also earning an 8-1 win at third doubles. Second doubles was tight, but Onalee Batcheller and Tatiana Barnett grinded out a tough win, 8-6 to clean up doubles play.
 
 
Oneonta was tough in singles play, but the Hawks had too much depth for the Red Dragons with Isabel van der Veen and Alex Chimenti closing out the win at fifth and sixth singles, respectively. Van der Veen rolled past Red Dragons' Jessica Harris, 6-1, 6-0 with Chimenti winning, 6-3, 6-1 over Danielle Coop.

Fittingly, Chimenti secured the winning point for the Hawks, a fifth-year senior who came back to the team this fall.
 
"Really happy for Alex hitting the winning shot," Bruley said. "She just burst into tears… There's a student who put so much into being a student-athlete and her commitment level is second to none."
 
Stanejko earned tournament MVP honors, while also earning All-Tournament team for both first doubles and singles play. SUNY New Paltz cleaned up All-Tournament team doubles with Batcheller/Barnett and van der Veen/Chimenti honored at second and third doubles, respectively.
 
Chimenti earned singles all-tournament team at sixth singles, joining van der Veen (fifth singles) and Stanejko (first singles).
 
"Really pleased with Justine. That kid just goes about her business, she won tournament MVP, singles MVP and doubles MVP," Bruley said. "I couldn't be more proud of the team top to bottom even two that didn't start today, Nina Genzone and Amirah Alston, they played a big part in the fall. We win as a team, and we lose as a team. We are looking forward to a kind draw in NCAA's."

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