Flash Points:

• SFU Women's Tennis is moving on to the NEC Semifinals after earning a 4-2 win over Sacred Heart on Friday in the NEC Quarterfinals.
• The Red Flash, the No. 4 seed, won four of the five completed singles matches against the No. 5 seeded Pioneers after SHU won the doubles point.
• Saint Francis will meet No. 1 seed LIU Brooklyn (11-5 overall, 5-0 NEC) in Saturday's Semifinals after LIU defeated St. Francis Brooklyn, 4-0, on Friday.
• The NEC Championships are being played at the Mercer County Tennis Center in West Windsor, N.J.

NEC Tournament Central | NEC Tennis Bracket

WEST WINDSOR, N.J. – The Saint Francis Women's Tennis team advanced to the NEC Semifinals with a 4-2 win over Sacred Heart on Friday at the Mercer County Tennis Center.  The Pioneers, the No. 5 seed in the tournament, won the doubles point, but the No. 4 seeded Red Flash bounced back to win four singles match.  The Pioneers finished the season with a 4-14 record.
 
Saint Francis, led by Head Coach Rob Castille, improved to 8-11 overall and will meet the No. 1 seed LIU Brooklyn in Saturday's Semifinal match, which is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m.  LIU defeated St. Francis Brooklyn, 4-0, in Friday's NEC Quarterfinals.  LIU is 11-5 overall and went 5-0 in the NEC in the regular season.  SFU and LIU did not meet in the regular season.

"This was a gutsy performances from our girls," said Castille. "We've played with five girls all year and finally have six for the tournament only to have Brittini [Jentz] sprain her ankle two games into doubles. I feel horrible for her and the girls, but we've dealt with this adversity all year and I couldn't be more proud of the way the team rebounded."
 
At the top doubles spot, freshman Laura Gutierrez (Bogota, Colombia/Cibercolegio UCN) and sophomore Stephanie Miller (Washington, D.C./St. John's College High School) matched up against Sacred Heart's Taylor Gurda and Sabrina Navarro.  The Red Flash duo fell 6-1.
 
Freshman Kathryn Dunleavy (Farmington Hills, Mich./Mercy) and senior Brittini Jentz (Plano, Texas/Ursuline Academy of Dallas) competed against the Pioneers' Adrienne Alfonso and Olivia Podsiebierski at No. 3.  The match was tied 1-1 when the Red Flash retired due to injury.
 
Sophomore Raksha Bode (Reunion, Fla./Florida Virtual School) and freshman Lucia Seigford (Madrid, Spain/Mirasur) took on SHU's Brianne Lauria and Claudia Ruiz at No. 2.  Bode and Seigford were trailing 5-1 when the match was stopped.

"It didn't look good for us early on," said Castille. "Sacred Heart came out firing on all cylinders. We just kept fighting and wanted it more. We really showed a tremendous amount of heart today, so I'm thrilled we were able to get the win. We'll rest up and bring that same fight tomorrow against a very strong LIU squad."
 
Seigford met Sacred Heart's Lauria at the No. 1 singles position.  The Red Flash rookie dropped the first set, 6-4.  However, Seigford responded by winning the next set, 6-2.  In the deciding set, Seigford came out on top, 6-2.  Seigford is now 10-9 in dual matches.
 
In the match at No. 2, Gutierrez faced SHU's Podsiebierski.  The SFU freshman claimed the first set, 6-3.  She completed the straight-set victory with a 7-5 win in the second set.  Gutierrez earned her ninth win this Spring.
 
Miller took on the Pioneers' Gurda at No. 3 singles.  The Saint Francis sophomore fell 6-1 in the opening set, but answered by winning the next set, 6-4.  In the final frame, Miller dominated for a 6-0 win.  Miller moved to 11-8 this season.
 
At No. 4 singles, Bode competed against SHU's Adrienne Alfonso.  The SFU sophomore took the first set, 6-2.  In a tough second set, Bode came out on top, 7-6, including 7-4 in the tiebreaker, to complete the sweep.  Bode is now 10-9 this Spring.
 
Dunleavy met the Pioneers' Ruiz at No. 5.  The Red Flash rookie won the first set, 6-1.  Dunleavy was leading 4-3 in the second set when the match was stopped.
 
Sacred Heart's Sabrina Navarro won the match at No. 6 by default due to an SFU injury.
 
Doubles:
1. Gurda/Navarro(SHU) def. Gutierrez/Miller(SFU), 6-1
2. Bode/Seigford(SFU) vs. Lauria/Ruiz(SHU), 1-5, unfinished
3. Alfonso/Podsiebierski(SHU) def. Dunleavy/Jentz(SFU), 1-1, retired
 
Singles:
1. Seigford(SFU) def. Lauria(SHU), 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
2. Gutierrez(SFU) def. Podsiebierski(SHU), 6-3, 7-5
3. Miller(SFU) def. Gurda(SHU), 1-6, 6-4, 6-0
4. Bode(SFU) def. Alfonso(SHU), 6-2, 7-6(4)
5. Dunleavy(SFU) vs. Ruiz(SHU), 6-1, 4-3, unfinished
6. Navarro(SHU) def. Jentz(SFU), forfeit