Nunez Garners First Team All-ECC Tennis Accolade; Nepivodova, Duijst Earn Second Team
CENTRAL ISLIP, NY - Junior Jessica Nunez earned First Team All-East Coast Conference while sophomore Maxime Duijst and senior Krystina Nepivodova both were named Second Team All-ECC as the conference announced its All-Conference teams and individual awards on Sat., Oct. 6.
Nunez (Electrical Engineering - Guayaquil, Ecaudor/American School of Guayaquil) has a No. 1 singles record of 8-4 (4-2 ECC) and a No. 2 doubles record of 5-3 (4-2 ECC). A No. 7 seed in the ITA East Regional Championship Singles A draw, she advanced to the quarterfinals before bowing out to No. 3 seed, Stephanie Puentes of Goldey-Beacom. Picked as the pre-season player of the year, Nunez earned an impressive in-conference singles win over Queens' Erica Goldsmith and crucial singles and doubles wins in a narrow, 5-4 win at Roberts Wesleyan. This is her third consecutive year on the All-ECC First Team.
Duijst (Biology - Valkenswaard, Netherlands/Pleincollege Sint-Joris) is also a repeat All-ECC selection on the Second Team. A No. 3 singles player and No. 1 doubles player, Duijst is currently 5-3 (3-3 ECC) in singles and 5-3 (4-2 ECC) in doubles. She showed her dominance by earning two straight-set victories, but also showed poise in an impressive 4-6, 6-4, 10-6 comeback win over Queens' Andrea Samson. Also, in doubles play she teamed with Nepivodova for a pivotal, 8-7 (5-0) win in a narrow, 5-4 Firebirds win at Roberts Wesleyan.
Nepivodova (Economics - Breznice, Czech Republic/Gymnasium pod Svatou Horou) has earned a team-best singles record of 6-2 (4-2 ECC) at No. 2 singles and teamed with Duijst for a 5-3 (4-2 ECC) mark at No. 1 doubles. She dominated three of her singles matches en-route to straight-set wins, but also showed her senior leadership by earning the fifth and decisive match point in a 5-4 win over Roberts Wesleyan with a come-from-behind, 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 win over Dina Obukhova. She also teamed with Duijst that day for a thrilling, 8-7 doubles win, as she was pivotal in that Firebirds season-opening win.
The ECC also announced NYIT's Nelly Ciolkowski, a former ACC Rookie of the Year at Clemson, was named the Player of the Year. Queens' Andrea Samson was named the Rookie of the Year and Chris Frusci of NYIT was named Coach of the Year.
The defending ECC champions were ousted in the semifinals by NYIT on Friday, Oct. 5, but the Firebirds (6-3) have one more scheduled match this fall at Chowan on Oct. 13. District of Columbia may make up a postponed conference match against LIU Post this fall as well, but a date has yet to be determined.