Box Score

MARIETTA, Ga. - There was some good news and some bad news today for the Kennesaw State women's tennis team.  The bad news was a 6-1 loss to first-place University of North Florida (13-4, 8-0 A-Sun).  The good news is that the Owls (13-7, 5-3 A-Sun) clinched a berth in the conference championships next weekend on the campus of East Tennessee State University.

North Florida stormed through the doubles unscathed, with the #73-ranked duo of Aline Berkenbrock and Lorena Aviles picking up their eighth straight conference win at the top spot, defeating the previously unbeaten duo of Virginie Stein and Alexandra Apostu.  The Ospreys swept through the other two spots as well to build a 1-0 advantage going into the singles.

In the singles, several matches were close affairs, including two three-setters by Stein and fellow freshman Jana Hueckinghaus.  Hueckinghaus would eventually fall at No. 4 in three sets to Simona Weymar, 6-1, 2-6, 6-1.  Stein would save the day from a shutout when she fought back from a set down to take out Danielle Day of the Ospreys, 5-7, 7-5, 1-0(5).  Day was a 2011 First Team All-Conference selection and was previously unbeaten in conference play as well.  With the win, Stein moves to 8-0 in the A-Sun at the No. 3 spot.

The Owls will return to the court hoping to improve their seed for the conference tournament when they take on Jacksonville at 2:00 p.m. at Fair Oaks Tennis Center.  The match will be the final home match of senior Vera Shkundina's historic career at KSU.