North Easton, Mass. -- For the third time this season, the Adelphi University women's tennis team scored a 5-4 victory over the Skyhawks of Stonehill College, as Rebecca Fakas delivered the clinching three-set win at No. 1 singles to send the Panthers into the second round of the NCAA Division II Championships on Monday.

Trailing 4-2 overall in the match and staring down defeat, Samantha Perri, Karen Serina and Fakas ran off wins in singles to secure the match for the Brown and Gold (14-6). Perri posted a 6-2, 6-2 win over Nicole Downey at No.3 before Serina came through in a deciding third set, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 to knot the match at 4-4.

For the third time this season, Fakas faced Victoria Barbetta at top flight singles, and for the third time, Fakas came out on top - though in the most difficult match yet - 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 to secure the win for Adelphi. This was the first of the trio of matches between the two to go the distance, as the junior previously defeated Barbetta in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1 in the regular season and 6-4, 7-6(7) in the NE10 Championship.

Adelphi led 2-1 after doubles only to see the Skyhawks win three straight singles matches, at No. 6, No. 5 and No. 2.

The Panthers advance to face top seeded NYIT at 11 AM on Tuesday in the NCAA second round. 

Doubles
1. Rebecca Fakas / Karen Serina (ADE) def. Alexandra Vo / Annelise Howick (STO) 8-4
2. Elizabeth Kallenberg / Samantha Perri (ADE) def. Victoria Barbetta / Nicole Downey (STO) 8-2
3. Emma Prinos / Caroline Ray (STO) def. Vanja Savic / Daniella Cattabiani (ADE) 8-3

Singles
1. Rebecca Fakas (ADE) def. Victoria Barbetta (STO) 6-4, 5-7, 6-4
2. Alexandra Vo (STO) def. Elizabeth Kallenberg (ADE) 6-4, 6-2
3. Samantha Perri (ADE) def. Nicole Downey (STO) 6-2, 6-2
4. Karen Serina (ADE) def. Emma Prinos (STO) 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
5. Caroline Ray (STO) def. Vanja Savic (ADE) 6-2, 6-2
6. Annelise Howick (STO) def. Daniella Cattabiani (ADE) 6-0, 6-0

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About Adelphi Athletics:
Adelphi University joined the Northeast-10 Conference in the fall of 2009 and in the past seven seasons, has collected 20 regular season conference titles, 24 tournament championships, 29 individual crowns and captured the Northeast-10 Presidents' Cup three times (2013, 2014, and 2016), while winning five NCAA Division II National Championships.

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