Flushing, NY – The Hunter women's tennis team claimed their ninth straight CUNY Athletic Conference Championship on Thursday evening, defeating the second-seeded Bearcats of Baruch College 5-0 at the USTA Center in Flushing, NY. The Hawks close out the fall season with a13-3 overall record and have continued their CUNYAC unbeaten streak which now stands at 55 straight regular season conference victories.

Competing at first doubles today, Cardozo alumni Evgeniya Kim (Flushing, NY/Cardozo) and Stefanie Smith (Little Neck, NY/Cardozo) defeated Monika Maiellano and Alexandra Vamanu for the second time this season, 8-3. At second doubles, senior Monica Calungcagin (Valley Cottage, NY/Nyack) and sophomore Elizabeth Feldman (Brooklyn, NY/Midwood) downed Irina Piskunova and Miriam Mkrtchyan 8-2. Trailing early on, the tandem of Linda Ravul (Little Neck, NY/St. Mary's) and Anna Vagner (Staten Island, NY/Tottenville) rallied back and defeated the undefeated team of Shalanda Graham and Mariya Korobkova in the tiebreaker to give Hunter a 3-0 match lead.

As singles action began, Baruch's Graham suffered an injury and was forced to retire early, forfeiting her fifth singles match in favor of junior Bomi Park (Astoria, NY/Younghoon) and putting the Hawks up 4-0. Kim then clinched the match with a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles to give the Hawks the victory and the program's 17th CUNYAC Championship. Kim was named the tournament Most Valuable Player for the second straight season.

The Hawks now receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament which begins on May 8, 2009. In their last two tournament appearance, the Hawks have compiled a 2-2 record, defeating Wilkes University on both occasions.