FLUSHING, N.Y. - Second-seeded Hunter edged top-seeded and defending champion Baruch 5-4 to win the 2024 CUNYAC/HSS Women's Tennis Championship Thursday at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.  The Hawks turned the tables on the Bearcats, who downed Hunter 5-1 in the 2023 championship and also defeated the Hawks 5-4 during the regular season this fall.

For Hunter (7-5), it marks the third conference championship in the last five seasons and the program's conference-record 24th league title.  Hunter and Baruch (12-2) have met in each of the last five CUNYAC women's tennis finals.  The Hawks earn the CUNYAC automatic berth to next spring's NCAA Division III Women's Tennis Championship.

Hunter sophomore Julia Aksamentova was named Championship Most Valuable Player.

The Hawks led 2-1 after doubles.  Sree Kolla and Sara Novo posted an 8-6 win at No. 2, with Sara Contreras and Ava Cooper winning 8-1 at No. 3.  Baruch's doubles point came at No. 1 as Ava Deguzman and Natalie Bergmann posted an 8-0 triumph.

Aksamentova outlasted Baruch's Maria Calvo 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-4) at No. 4 singles with the match tied 4-4 to clinch the match and the title for the Hawks.

Baruch earned points at the top three singles flights.  Deguzman was a 6-0, 6-0 winner at No. 1, with Bergmann winning 6-1, 6-3 at No. 2.  Aishika Yadav was a 6-0, 6-4 victor at No. 3.

Hunter was victorious at Nos. 5 and 6 singles.  Kolla posted a 7-5, 6-2 win at No. 5, while Summer Nietubicz was victorious at No. 6 by a 6-0, 6-0 count.

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The City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC) is an NCAA Division III and NJCAA Division III conference with 14 members that reach across all five boroughs of New York City. Since officially coming into existence in 1987, the conference has been amongst the leaders in Division III with initiatives that focus on the student as much as the athlete in student-athlete. The conference sponsors 19 Four-Year College Championships, 13 Community College Championships, the Michael Steuerman Scholar-Athlete Awards Dinner, the Basketball Press Luncheon, the SAAC Leadership and Coaches Rules Seminars, a CUNY-Wide Intramurals Championship Series, and the CUNYAC Golf Classic. With the help of four corporate sponsors, the conference has been ahead of the competition. CUNYAC boasts award-winning publications, award-winning events, unmatched television exposure, and one of the best websites in Division III while continuously searching for ways to improve the quality of the athletics experience.
 
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