After falling behind 2-0 and dropping a set in three of its first six singles matches, the ETSU women’s tennis team rallied in dramatic fashion to close out Stetson 4-2 for the 2009 Atlantic Sun Conference title and the league’s automatic bid into the NCAA Championships on Saturday at the Buddy Hartsell Tennis Center in Johnson City.
After back-to-back three-set comeback wins by senior tournament MVP Tara Byrne and freshman Paula Jaime, local product Tara Sheets hung tough against the Hatters’ Jacqueline Faulk, clinching the Lady Bucs second title in school history 7-6, (9-7), 2-6, 6-2.
Early in the contest, the Hatters were able to outplay the Lady Bucs to take the first two doubles matches and a 1-0 lead.
With singles play underway, Stetson continued to be aggressive, taking the first sets at No. 2 and No. 4 and closing out the No. 5 match between ETSU senior Vita Moskalovia and Stetson’s Shannon Gunning.
After a brief Lady Bucs response by all-tournament member Yevgeniya Stupak and freshman Karina Kedzo. Stetson maintained its control of the pace as the second sets opened.
After dropping the first-set to Katherine Nowicki 3-6, second-team All-Atlantic Sun member Paula Jaime stayed alive to win the second set 7-5.
At the same time Jaime was giving ETSU some life, Byrne did her part by breezing through her second set against Breanna Atkinson, 6-1.
With the momentum slowly shifting in the Lady Bucs’ favor, both Karina Kedzo and Sheets continued to build ETSU’s comeback hopes.
Kedzo gave ETSU its first point of the day after closing out Stetson’s Unnati Pursuhotham in two straight sets, 6-0, 6-4.
Sheets rallied to take a long first-set tiebreaker 7-6 (9-7.)
Even after both Stupak and Sheets dropped their second set, the tide was beginning to turn. Jaime and Byrne continued their good play, and even managed to close out their respective matches nearly seconds apart.
With the Lady Bucs’ comeback efforts and ETSU suddenly holding a 3-2 lead, all eyes turned to court six and Sheets.
With the No. 6 singles match now split at one-set apiece Sheets opened the third frame with a commanding 4-2 lead.
Stetson’s Jacqueline Faulk failed to hold serve after committing two unforced errors, the Lady Bucs second trip to the NCAA tournament came down to Sheets’ chance to serve out the match at 5-2.
After taking a quick 40-15 lead, Sheets shot a powerful forehand down the line past the outstreched Faulk, thereby giving the Lady Buccaneers their second A-Sun title in four years. The championship also marks the second title in ETSU women’s tennis history.
With the win ETSU avenges its only conference loss of the year a 4-3 setback in DeLand, Fla., earlier this season, and takes back the championship after losing to Jacksonville in 2007 and 2008.
The Lady Bucs will now wait for the NCAA’s 2009 Selection Show which will take place live Tuesday, April 28 on ESPNNews.
Both the single and doubles selections will be released a day later on Wednesday, April 29 through the NCAA Web site.

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