Scranton Will Play First Ever NCAA Match On Friday

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The University of Scranton women's tennis team will travel to Middlebury, Vt. for the first NCAA Division III Tournament appearance in program history, where the Royals will face Ithaca College in a first-round match on Friday, May 11.

Scranton (9-5) earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament by winning its first Landmark Conference championship with a 5-2 win over Susquehanna University on Saturday, April 28. It was the Royals' first conference title since winning the Freedom Conference in 1999.

The Royals are led by a pair of all-Landmark Conference second-team singles selections in senior Elisha Connell (Orangeburg, N.Y./Albertus Magnus) and sophomore Devon Cohen (Ambler, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham). Connell is 9-4 while playing mostly at No. 3 singles, including 5-1 against Landmark opponents. Cohen went 6-7 at No. 2 singles, including 3-2 against Landmark foes.

Scranton also boasts the doubles duo of freshmen Nicole Mahaffey (Harrisburg, Pa./Trinity) and Megan Azzalina (Easton, Pa./Notre Dame), who are 8-3 at No. 3 doubles this season.

Ithaca enters the NCAA Tournament after going 11-7 and winning its seventh straight Empire 8 Conference championship in the fall. The Bombers went 9-1 during the fall season and placed three players on the all-conference first team.

Friday's match will take place at a time to be determined. The winner will advance to play the host school, Middlebury College, in a second-round match on Saturday, May 12.

Story provided by Scranton Sports Information.