INDIANA, Pa. – With her win at number two, Jarka Petercakova (Bratislava, Slovakia/Sport Gymnasium) clinched victory for the IUP women's tennis team as they defeated Mercyhurst 5-1 to advance to the 2015 NCAA Division II National Championships in Surprise, Ariz.
 
The Crimson Hawks (19-7) have now won 10 consecutive NCAA Atlantic Region Championship matches since 2011 as they advance to their fifth straight national round of 16.
 
Petercakova ended the match with her 6-4, 6-4 victory over Adrianna Jeffress, her 17th win of the spring. Luise Von Agris (Castrop-Rauxel Germany/Adalbet-Stifter-Gymnasium) picked up the Crimson Hawks' first singles victory a 6-1, 6-2 win over Adina Spahlic at five. That win for Von Agris was her 10th consecutive win and tied the team-high with 24 this year.
 
IUP got out to a 3-0 lead over Mercyhurst (13-5) after doubles play, starting with an 8-5 win by Von Agris and Rachel Wood (Nottingham, U.K./West Bridgrord) over Sarah and Annie Baich at the second spot. Tanya Timko (Cannonsburg, PA/Chartiers-Houston) and Petercakova teamed for an 8-4 win at one and Sophie Butland (Taunton, Somerset U.K./Bishop Fox's Community School) and Alanna McFail (Fort Washington, Md. /St. John's College ) defeated Katelyn Caniford and Spahalic by a score of 8-6 at three.
 
The victory at one gave Timko her 103rd career doubles win to set a new IUP program record. The senior now owns career records for singles wins (86), doubles wins, and combined wins (189).
 
The second seed out of the Atlantic Region, the Crimson Hawks will now face West Region top seed BYU-Hawaii (30-1), the third ranked team in Division II. That match will be on Wednesday, May 13.
 
For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk.