Women's tennis falls in conference finals

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CLARKS SUMMIT, PA (April 24, 2014) - The Penn State Berks women's tennis team pulled off a 5-4 upset over top seed Penn State Abington in the semifinal round, before suffering a 5-4 setback to Keuka College in the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) Championship round on Thursday afternoon at Birchwood Tennis Courts. (Abington Boxscore) (Keuka Boxscore)

The Nittany Lions have played in the conference title game in each of the last five years, but have only found themselves as the runner-up in two of those appearances. Crystal Hitz has established herself as the best and most decorated player to come through the Penn State Berks program. She has played every single match at the No. 1 spot in singles and doubles throughout her stellar four-year career. Hitz is the winningest player in school-history with her 66 combined wins and 37 singles victories. In addition, she has been the NEAC Player of the Year and will be chasing after her second individual title tomorrow afternoon.

In the tournament opener, the Nittany Lions fell behind 2-1 after the doubles matches. Hitz and Nandita Munindra picked up an 8-4 win at No. 1 doubles to deny Abington of a sweep in doubles action.

In singles, Hitz dropped her first set 6-4 before grabbing a pair of 6-1 wins to even the match at 2-all. Munindra won 6-0, 6-2 at second singles, but Abington's Taylor Zisholtz won by the same score at No. 3 to make it a 3-all battle. Abington picked up at win at No. 4 and Florence Kurtz evened the contest with a 6-4, 6-2 win at No. 5 singles.

The fate of the match came down to Cassidy Schultz, who is in the midst of her first ever season of competitive tennis. Schultz dropped the first set by a count of 6-4, but she battled back for a 6-2, 6-3 win to propel the Nittany Lions into the championship round.

Keuka picked up an upset win in the other semifinal round, defeating No. 2 Wells College to advance to the title game. Again, the Nittany Lions fell behind 2-1 in after the doubles round, with Angie Koval and Schultz picking up an 8-4 win.

The deficit proved to be too much, as Hitz, Munindra, and Schultz each won their singles bouts but were unable to earn the win.

The Nittany Lions will conclude their season with the NEAC Individual Tournament on Friday, April 25 at the Birchwood Tennis Courts.

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Players Mentioned

Crystal Hitz: 5' 7"; Senior

Angie Koval: 5' 5"; Sophomore

Nandita Munindra: 5' 2"; Freshman

Cassidy Schultz: 5' 7"; Sophomore

Liz Kurtz: 5' 5"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Crystal Hitz
: 5' 7"; Senior

Angie Koval
: 5' 5"; Sophomore

Nandita Munindra
: 5' 2"; Freshman

Cassidy Schultz
: 5' 7"; Sophomore

Liz Kurtz
: 5' 5"; Freshman