CHAMPIONS: Women’s Tennis Wins its First CACC Title

Women's Tennis | 10/23/2016 12:00:00 AM

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When freshman Alma Garcia Valle (Valladolid, Spain) let out a scream for all to hear, Goldey-Beacom had won the match point it took 12 years to get.

Goldey-Beacom cruised through a trio of singles matches after two doubles wins and captured its first Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference title with a 5-1 victory over Post in Philadelphia, PA.

In their fifth trip to the CACC final, the Lightning slammed the door on the automatic bid to their sixth NCAA Tournament. The East Regional will be held on two consecutive days to be determined, ranging from April 29-May 2, 2017.

It is the ninth CACC title overall for the athletics department and first since the women's basketball team captured the 2011 crown.

The victory also gives the Lightning a 9-0 record for the best start in program history after beginning 8-0 in 2010-11. Their 7-0 mark in league play also was a team record and marked the first time the squad had been the top seed in the CACC Tournament.

GBC opened with a 2-1 lead through doubles. Garcia Valle and freshman Silvia Hortelano Pey (Castelldefels, Spain) rolled to an 8-0 triumph at third doubles vs. Sarah Namazi and Jessica Bergen before seniors Francesca Beg (Westbury, England) and Nina Sengl (Puchheim, Germany) gutted out a 9-8 (7-4) win at No. 1 doubles over Liza Dubrovskaya and Brianna Miah.

Hortelano Pey and Garcia Valle now are 8-0 as a doubles team.

Sengl was the first to close her singles rubber and did so at number five with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Namazi. Hortelano Pey followed shortly thereafter with a 6-0, 6-1 victory at sixth singles vs. Bergen, moving to 9-0 at singles.

With one more point needed, it became clear Garcia Valle had the best chance. Receiving serve at 30-40, she put away a winner at fourth singles for a 6-2, 6-2 clincher over Miah and one of the program's signature moments since its 2005 debut. Garcia Valle now is 8-0 at singles.

Sengl was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player, going 4-0 win a pair of wins at singles and doubles, and losing just one game in singles. She is 9-0 at doubles with Beg and is fourth in school history with 42 career triumphs. Sengl also is 9-0 in singles and her 40 career wins put her tied with Anastasia Melnikova (2011-15) for fourth in team annals.

Garcia Valle, Silvia Hortelano Pey and Anna Hortelano Pey join Sengl on the all-tournament team.

Post ends the fall 9-8.

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Players Mentioned

Francesca Beg: 5' 10"; Senior

Nina Sengl: 5' 7"; Senior

Alma Garcia Valle: 5' 1"; Freshman

Anna Hortelano Pey: 5' 7"; Freshman

Silvia Hortelano Pey: 5' 7"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Francesca Beg
: 5' 10"; Senior

Nina Sengl
: 5' 7"; Senior

Alma Garcia Valle
: 5' 1"; Freshman

Anna Hortelano Pey
: 5' 7"; Freshman

Silvia Hortelano Pey
: 5' 7"; Freshman