University of the District of Columbia Women’s Tennis Team’s Storybook Season Comes to Close in NCAA Round of 16

ROSTER
HEAD COACH: T. Richard Mahaffey, III

(PHOTO COURTESY UDC SPORTS INFORMATION)

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky – The University of the District of Columbia women's tennis team's storybook 2011-12 season has come to an end in the NCAA Division II Women's Tennis Tournament Round of 16 as the Firebirds succumbed to the reigning national champion Barry University, 5-0 on Wednesday afternoon at EP Tom Sawyer State Park.

The Firebirds surrendered to a 3-0 deficit after dropping all three doubles matches, and the Buccaneers went on to secure the match victory with singles wins at No. 3 and 6, respectively. Barry, ranked No. 2 in the nation, improved to 25-0 on the season and advances to play the winner of the Cal (Pa.) vs. Cameron match tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.

District of Columbia finished the season with a mark of 17-4, more than doubling their win total (7) from the previous year. The Firebirds also earned the school's first-ever East Coast Conference championship this Fall, which earned them an automatic bid to the school's first-ever NCAA Regional Tournament. There, they knocked off No. 6 Adelphi, 5-4 in the first round and then upset the tournament host and No. 2 seed Southern New Hampshire, 5-3 to advance to the Sweet 16 as the East Region's No. 2 representative.

ECC Coach of the Year Dickie Mahaffey returns five of the six players on this year's roster, including First Team All-ECC honorees Kristyna Nepivodova and Jessica Nunez and Second Team All-ECC honoree, Maxime Duijst.

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SPORTS INFORMATION