Results (HTML)  I  NCAA Championship Bracket

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The No. 20-ranked Northeastern State women's tennis team defeated No. 33 Augustana College 5-3 Sunday afternoon to win the 2014 NCAA Division II Central Region 2 Championship at the Huether Tennis Centre.
 
The RiverHawks (23-5) advanced to the NCAA Championship Round of 16 for the second-straight year. NSU is set to take on No. 12 California University of Pennsylvania (14-2) at 8 a.m. May 14 at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs, Fla.
 
The Vikings (25-2) saw a 16-match win streak snapped as the team suffered just their second loss this year. This was the first time all season they were facing a team ranked inside the top 5 of a region ranking. Northeastern State is currently the top-ranked team in the Central Region.
 
Augustana was making its fifth-straight appearance in the NCAA regional event, but the Vikings fell to 1-5 in the tournament against opponents not from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
 
The RiverHawks got started early by winning the first two points of the match. The newly-formed team of senior Houda Bellamine and sophomore Lucia Cerchlanova defeated Jenna Helleberg and Meredith Lawrence 8-5 on the third doubles court.
 
Junior Barbora Jirickova and sophomore Kristina Savchenkov followed with an 8-6 triumph over Christine Olivo and Heather Sullivan at No. 2 doubles. Augie got on the board when Katie Jesperson and Jessa Richards topped Martina Bruzikova and freshman Valeriia Efimenko 8-6 on the first doubles court.
 
The Vikings tied the match at 2-2 when Lawrence kicked off singles action with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Cerchlanova on the sixth court.
 
Augustana pulled ahead when Richards defeated Bellamine 6-2, 6-1 at No. 2 singles, but Northeastern State took the last three decisions to clinch the team victory. Efimenko breezed past Olivo 6-1, 6-3 at the fourth position, and Jirickova dropped just two games in a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Helleberg on the fifth court.
 
Bruzikova clinched the match when she defeated Francesca Beg 6-4, 6-1 on the third court. The final match went unfinished, but Savchenkov was just three points away from defeating Jesperson at the top singles flight.
 
Tennis Match Results
May 04, 2014 at Sioux Falls, S.D.
(Huether Tennis Centre)
 
#20 Northeastern State 5, #33 Augustana College 3
                                                            
Singles Competition
1. #17 Kristina Savchenkov (NSU) vs. Katie Jesperson (AUGIE) 6-2, 6-6 (4-0), unfinished
2. Jessa Richards (AUGIE) def. Houda Bellamine (NSU) 6-2, 6-1
3. Martina Bruzikova (NSU) def. Francesca Beg (AUGIE) 6-4, 6-1
4. Valeriia Efimenko (NSU) def. Christine Olivo (AUGIE) 6-1, 6-3
5. Barbora Jirickova (NSU) def. Jenna Helleberg (AUGIE) 6-2, 6-0
6. Meredith Lawrence (AUGIE) def. Lucia Cerchlanova (NSU) 6-2, 6-1
 
Doubles Competition
1. Katie Jesperson/Jessa Richards (AUGIE) def. Martina Bruzikova/Valeriia Efimenko (NSU) 8-6
2. Barbora Jirickova/Kristina Savchenkov (NSU) def. Christine Olivo/Heather Sullivan (AUGIE) 8-6
3. Houda Bellamine/Lucia Cerchlanova (NSU) def. Jenna Helleberg/Meredith Lawrence (AUGIE) 8-5
 
Match Notes:
Northeastern State 23-5; National ranking #20
Augustana College 25-2; National ranking #33
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (6,2,4,5,3)

NORTHEASTERN STATE COACH AMANDA STONE
"It was a great weekend for us. Making it back to the NCAA Round of 16 was our team goal from Day One. We didn't take the exact route we planned, but we did it. We played well and fought hard in both matches during our regional championship run. I'm proud of our team and all we've accomplished so far. But now it's time to refocus and zero in on our first round at nationals. Cal (PA) is one of the premier programs in the nation, and it's going to take our absolute best match to get past them."
 
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