Fourth-Seeded Wildcats Set For Conference Tournament

Daemen takes on top-seeded District of Columbia in ECC Championship semifinals

10/28/2021 2:30:00 PM

ECC Championship - Semifinals
(#4 seed) Daemen Wildcats (4-6, 2-3 ECC) vs. (#1 seed) Dist. Columbia Firebirds (9-0, 5-0 ECC)
Date: Friday, Oct. 29
Time: 11 a.m.
Location: Flushing, N.Y. | Queens College Tennis Center
Live Stream: Via ECC Network
More Information: ECC Championship Central

PREVIEW
The Daemen women's tennis team returns to postseason play Friday when they take on District of Columbia in the semifinal round of the East Coast Conference Championship tournament being held on the campus of Queens College. The Wildcats are the tournament's No. 4 seed and will look to upset the top-seeded Firebirds for a chance to compete for the conference title in Saturday's final round.

Daemen qualified for the conference tournament by virtue of their 7-0 victory over crosstown rival D'Youville late this past Tuesday evening at Miller Tennis Center. Frida Rubio, Kitsa Scime, Yinett Del Leon, Mackenzie Schayes, Hannah Pagano and Ailish McDevitt all earned victories in both doubles and singles play, helping the Wildcats defeat the Saints for the sixth time in as many lifetime meetings, five of which have come since the start of last season. Tuesday's win snapped a four-match slide as the Wildcats jumped in the win column for the first time since a 6-1 defeat of Molloy on Oct. 3.

Rubio, who was named ECC Rookie of the Year last season, has led the Wildcats this season. The San Diego native has compiled team-highs in singles (6) and doubles (6) wins, and recently moved into a tie for ninth place on the program's all-time wins list. Rubio has totaled 25 combined singles/doubles wins with her sophomore season not yet complete.

Scime (nine combined wins) and Del Leon (four combined wins) have made an immediate impact in their rookie seasons, and the Wildcats recently regained the services of Schayes who missed some time with an injury. Schayes has totaled 17 combined singles/doubles wins since the start of last season. The Wildcats will be without their most experienced player however, as grad student Christina Stasiuk will miss the remainder of the fall campaign.

To advance, the Wildcats will have to do something no other team has been able to do yet this season, and that's knock off the Firebirds. UDC ascended to the top spot in the league thanks in part to victories over last season's conference tournament finalists, St. Thomas Aquinas and Queens. The Spartans and Knights, who meet in Friday's second semifinal match, were the only teams to score points against UDC this season. UDC's other seven matches all ended in 7-0 final scores.

The Wildcats are making their second consecutive appearance in the ECC Championship tournament. Daemen qualified for the tournament for the first time last season, falling in the opening round to eventual champion Queens.

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