Tepas wins state singles title
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ITHACA, N.Y. -- Nazareth senior
Alison Tepas captured the first singles title Sunday at the New York State Division III Championships, hosted by Ithaca College. Unseeded heading into Friday's opening round, Tepas won four matches, including a 6-2, 6-3 win over St. Lawrence's Elkie Vandenbeemt in Sunday's championship match.
Tepas became Nazareth's first state singles titlist since 1994 when Hall of Famer Kathleen Moynihan won the title in both singles and doubles.
"I felt pretty confident going in after I was able to beat the No. 1 seed on Saturday," said Tepas, a native of Orchard Park, N.Y., who raised her overall singles record to 12-3 this fall. "I think I'm playing as well as I ever have -- especially from a mental standpoint."
Sunday's title was a rematch of a dual match that Tepas and Vandenbeemt played last spring. Vandenbeemt won that match 6-2, 7-6. This time, Tepas turned the tables by "playing consistently and waiting for my opportunities," she said. Tepas now ranks eighth all-time at Nazareth with 55 career singles victories.
Tepas opened the tournament Friday by upsetting third-seeded Melissa Hirsch of Skidmore 6-2, 6-2. In Saturday's quarterfinals, she defeated Elmira's Amy Schmidt 6-2, 6-1. Then in the semifinals, she upset top-seeded Maite Vera Antelo of RIT 6-4, 3-6, 10-5.