ANNVILLE, Pa. - Alvernia captured its first Commonwealth Conference women's tennis championship with a 5-1 win over Lebanon Valley on Saturday.

The top-seeded Dutchmen (12-8) were hosting the final for the first time in program history and battled all afternoon, but strong doubles play by the Crusaders (14-3), keyed by 9-7 victories at Nos. 1 and 2, helped spur them to the championship.

Lori Noble and Ariana Freeman provided an early highlight for LVC with a gutsy 8-6 win at No. 3 doubles, winning five consecutive points after trailing 6-3, but Alvernia's 1 and 2 doubles hung in for wins as Cassandra Noray and Becca Perkins held off Brittany Dierwechter and Marla Scacchitti at 2 before Julie Seidel and Jenn Petrilla rallied to win at No. 1 over Mary Kate Lemon and Nicole Kracum.

In singles, LVC had plenty of positives, but Alvernia only needed three victories to secure the win and found them at Nos. 1, 4, and 5. Alyssa Boyd defeated Scacchitti 6-0, 6-1 at No. 5 before Dierwechter fell 6-2, 6-1 to Noray at No. 4; tournament MVP Seidel sealed things with her 6-1, 6-4 win over Lemon at No. 1.

When the match was called, Noble led 7-5, 3-2 at No. 2, while Kracum and Olivia Edwards had just started their third sets at Nos. 3 and 6, respectively.
 

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Singles competition
1. Julie Seidel (ALVWT) def. Mary Kate Lemon (LVCW) 6-1, 6-4
2. Lori Noble (LVCW) vs. Jennifer Petrilla (ALVWT) 7-5, 3-2, unfinished
3. Nicole Kracum (LVCW) vs. Becca Perkins (ALVWT) 5-7, 6-0, 1-0, unfinished
4. Cassandra Noray (ALVWT) def. Brittany Dierwechter (LVCW) 6-2, 6-1
5. Alyssa Boyd (ALVWT) def. Marla Scacchitti (LVCW) 6-0, 6-1
6. Olivia Edwards (LVCW) vs. Lillian Hussar (ALVWT) 6-2, 3-6, 0-1, unfinished

Doubles competition
1. Julie Seidel/Jennifer Petrilla (ALVWT) def. Mary Kate Lemon/Nicole Kracum (LVCW) 9-7
2. Cassandra Noray/Becca Perkins (ALVWT) def. Brittany Dierwechter/Marla Scacchitti (LVCW) 9-7
3. Lori Noble/Ariana Freeman (LVCW) def. Alyssa Boyd/Kristy Schwenk (ALVWT) 8-6

Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (5,4,1)