Sept. 30, 2008

Stony Brook, N.Y. - After starting her collegiate career with a pair of losses during the opening weekend of the season, freshman Salome Mkervalidze (Brewster, N.Y.) of the women's tennis team bounced back in a big way last week at the Eastern Championships at Army. She went a perfect 4-0 and won the title in the 2nd Singles bracket to lead the way for the Seawolves, becoming the first Stony Brook women's tennis player to win a singles bracket at the Eastern Championships event.

Mkervalidze started out play in the tournament by downing the No. 2 seed, Ashley Harvey from Long Island, in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1. She then dropped just one game to Jasleen Sandu of Siena to reach the semis. There she ran into trouble in the first set against third seeded Emily Herb of Connecticut, but stormed back to score a 0-6, 6-3, 10-5 win. She then took home the title with a solid 6-0, 6-2 victory over Elizabeth Verow of Seton Hall.