INDIANA, Pa. – Luise Von Agris (Castrop-Rauxel Germany/Adalbet-Stifter-Gymnasium) had the clinching win for the IUP women's tennis team as they blanked Shaw 5-0 in the opening round of the 2015 NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Championships on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Crimson Hawks advance to Sunday where they will face Mercyhurst for the right to head to the NCAA Championships in Surprise, Ariz. on May 13-16.
 
Doubles play featured a big comeback at the number one spot, as Tanya Timko (Cannonsburg, PA/Chartiers-Houston) and Jarka Petercakova (Bratislava, Slovakia/Sport Gymnasium) found themselves trailing 7-4 before scoring the final five for a 9-7 victory. The win was Timko's 102nd career doubles win, tying former teammate Emilia Osborne (2009-13) for first place in program history.
 
Also winning in doubles for the Crimson Hawks was Von Agris and Rachel Wood (Nottingham, U.K./West Bridgrord), who paired for an 8-4 victory at the second spot. Sophie Butland (Taunton, Somerset U.K./Bishop Fox's Community School) and Alanna McFail (Fort Washington, Md. /St. John's College ) picked up a default victory at number three.
 
In singles play, Wood was given a victory at six as Shaw defaulted before Von Agris scored an easy 6-0, 6-0 win at the fourth spot to clinch the victory for IUP.
 
This is the sixth consecutive season that the Crimson Hawks have advanced to the NCAA Atlantic Region Championships and they'll be going for their fifth straight trip to the NCAA's round of 16 on Sunday.
 
Match time against Mercyhurst is set for 12 p.m.
 
For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk.