May 2, 2021

New Paltz, NY - What has now become the hottest rival in SUNYAC women's tennis the New Paltz Hawks and Oneonta Red Dragons clashed again today on the campus of SUNY New Platz.  Just over a week ago the Hawks downed the Red Dragons in Oneonta.  Oneonta was trying to get some revenge with playoff seeding at stake.  Unfortunately, the Hawks proved a little too much for Oneonta in another 3 ½ hour battle with New Paltz coming out on top 8-1 in a score that did nothing to show the tight matchups.

Doubles has been setting Oneonta on it's heals when they play New Paltz and today was no different.  New Paltz jumped out to 3-0 lead with close matches though taking place on the first and second flights.

Singles was where the Red Dragons can make up some ground but with a 3-0 deficit that usually proves too much for the trailing team.  Two noteworthy highlights took place at the fifth flight when junior Rebecca Macdonald (Brooklyn/Leon M. Goldstein) won in straight sets 6-3 and 6-4.  Back on the top court, junior Olivia Fraser (Queensbury/Queensbury) is proving to be perhaps the top female player in the conference.  Fraser split sets with her New Paltz opponent that had to be decided in a super-tiebreaker.  Fraser held 4 match points but could not convert and went down 3-6, 7-5 (12-10) that left both players absolutely exhausted in the hot sun.

The Red Dragons now end their shortened regular season as the second seed from the Eastern Division and will face either SUNY Oswego or SUNY Fredonia in the semi-finals on Thursday, May 6^th.  If Oneonta can win, it will be the third season in a row that the women have reached the finals of the conference championships.