Results | NCAA.com Championship Page

INDIANA, PA - Tabtip Louhabanjong (Krabi, Thailand/West Anchorage (AK)) picked up a 6-0, 6-0 win at number one singles, clinching the win for IUP as the Crimson Hawks blanked Charleston 5-0 at the Maple Street Courts to advance to their second straight 2012 NCAA Division II Women's Tennis Championship round. IUP will now travel to Louisville, Kentucky, which hosts the Division II spring festival next month.

The win gave the Crimson Hawks two straight 5-0 wins in NCAA Atlantic Region opening round play, also blanking West Liberty on Saturday.

The victory moves IUP to 22-7 on the year, breaking the program record for victories in a season which has now been broken each of the last three seasons. 

Louhabanjong was put into position for the clinching win after IUP swept doubles competition, including two come-from-behind wins. Emilia Osborne (Leighton Buzzard, United Kingdom/Cedars ) and Tanya Timko (Cannonsburg, PA/Chartiers-Houston) got things started off for the Crimson Hawks with an 8-1 victory at number two over Sarah Monsheimer and Marieve Edwards. Louhabanjong then paired with Katie Eaton (Halesowen, United Kingdom/Haybridge) at number one, rebounding from a 3-0 deficit to beat Marcela Torres and Laura Smith 8-6.

IUP then got its other comeback win at the number three spot, as Ranvita Mahto (Burlington, ON/Robert Bateman) and Erika Schnaas (Mexico City, Mexico/Escuela Nacional Preparatoria ) fell behind 6-2 before rallying for an 8-6 win over Millika Mali and Kelsey Hensley to help the Crimson Hawks to the early 3-0 lead.

Schnaas got IUP's first win in singles competition, defeating Edwards 6-0, 6-1 at number six, setting up Louhabanjong with the easy victory over Torres. The matchup was a battle of top regional players as well, with Louhabanjong ranked 10th and Torres 11th.

Along with the team record for wins, Schnaas set a school record for dual match singles victoris in a season with 21, breaking a mark set by Louhabanjong and Mahto last year.

The Crimson Hawks join Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West rival and Atlantic Region number one seed Cal in the championship round. IUP, Cal, and 14 other top schools travel to Louisville where the championship round of 16 will be held on May 16-19 at the Top Gun Tennis Academy and hosted by Bellarmine University.