LYCOMING’S TEMPLE ADVANCES TO SEMIFINALS OF
MAC SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP

MADISON, NJ – The Middle Atlantic Conference Individual Women’s Tennis Championships began today at Drew University. Representing Lycoming College were Cricket Temple (Sr./Picture Rocks, PA; Hughesville) and Meredith Moerschbacher (Sr./Montoursville, PA; Montoursville) in the singles tournament; and Josemar Castillo (Fr./Maracaibo, Venezuela; Muncy) and Heidi von Schwedler (Jr./Tannersville, PA; Pocono Mountain) in the doubles tournament. The Warriors experienced quite a bit of success during the first day of action, combining for six victories. Temple, however, was the lone Lycoming student-athlete to advance to the semifinal round that will begin tomorrow.

Temple entered the tournament as the number two seed following a 9-1 regular season. Her high seed earned her a first round bye. In the second round Temple made quick work of Selena Bednarz of Wilkes University, winning 6-1, 6-1. Advancing to the quarterfinal round, she then defeated the number five seed Erin Michalisin of the University of Scranton, 6-3, 6-2.

When play resumes tomorrow with the semifinal matches, Temple will challenge Jennifer Genevese of Moravian College. Genevese entered the tournament as the number three seed with a regular season record of 13-4. Temple defeated Genevese in the team playoffs in three sets just one week ago.

Despite a perfect record of 9-0 during the regular season, Moerschbacher – the Warriors’ number two singles player – entered the championship unseeded. In her opening match she drew the tournament eighth seed, Erin Thompson of Elizabethtown College, and defeated her 6-1, 6-1. Moerschbacher continued to roll in the second round topping Elizabeth Cooney of Juniata College, 6-0, 6-1, to advance to the quarterfinals.

Moerschbacher’s luck ran out at that point, however, as she had to face the tournament’s top seed, Tara McHugh of Susquehanna. McHugh defeated Moerschbacher 6-1, 6-3.

In doubles action, Castillo and von Schwedler entered the competition unseeded but won their first round match, 6-1, 6-0, over Jennifer Thompson and Stephanie Shaver of Juniata. The duo then upset the tournament’s number three seed Jennelle Zeigler and Amora Cook from Lebanon Valley College 6-0, 7-5, to advance to the quarterfinals. Castillo and von Schwedler’s run came to an end at that point, however, falling to Maggie Grzelak and Caitlan Wyble of FDU-Florham 6-4, 6-2. Grzelak and Wyble were the sixth seed in the championship and had also defeated Castillo and von Schwedler during the regular season.