Boxscore

BRONXVILLE, N.Y. - For the third straight year, an impressive Fall season for the Goldey-Beacom College women's tennis team has concluded with a loss to Concordia College in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Finals. The host and No. 1 seeded Clippers claimed their third straight title with a 5-2 victory over the Lightning on Sun. afternoon at Meyers Tennis Center.

Concordia, who entered the match 26-1 in doubles matches for the season as a team, began the afternoon by sweeping all three doubles matches. Clara Catanzano and Yuliya Plevako eeked out a win over the Lightning's dynamic freshmen duo of Stephanie Puentes and Anastasia Melnikova, 9-8 (7-5). The No. 2 doubles team of Ana S.O. Mendes and Juliana Frey won their match, 8-2 over junior Marina Sales and sophomore Gabriela Chaves. Finally, the No. 3 team of Camilla Gomes Xavier and Maria Ortiz followed suit as they bested junior Blanca Sancho and Vanessa Leon, 8-5 to give Concordia a 3-0 lead heading into singles play.

In the rematch of two First Team All-CACC selections, the conference Player of the Year, Stephanie Puentes once again had the upper hand, claiming a 6-2, 6-3 No. 1 singles victory over junior Yuliya Plevako. Puentes finishes the Fall season with a record of 9-1.Another freshman, CACC honorable mention Filipa Correia earned GBC another point at No. 3 singles with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Catanzano.

Sancho, another conference honorable mention for the Lightning, battled for GBC at No. 2 singles as she has done all season. After losing the first set, 6-4, Sancho would win set two, 6-2, and put the pressure on Mendes and the Clippers with an opportunity to put the Lightning within striking distance. Despite a valiant effort by Sancho in the third set, Mendes pulled out a 6-3 victory to put Concordia one win away from clinching the title. Mendes would later be named the Tournamen Most Valuable Player for her efforts.

The fifth and final point for the Clippers came from Ortiz, who defeated junior Melanie Bonomo, 6-2, 6-1 in the No. 5 singles match.

This match concludes the Fall Season for the Lightning. They resume play in the Spring with matches scheduled against Shippensburg (3/3/12), Queens (3/31/12), Molloy (4/15/1), University of the District of Columbia (TBD) and West Chester University (TBD). GBC will attempt to earn its third straight NCAA East Regional appearance in May.