BLOOMSBURG, Pa. (Sept. 29) – Junior Helena VanEysendeyk (Meythet, France/Zurich International) and freshman Axelle Fernandez (Nice, France/Institut Familial) each qualified for the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) National Small College Championships after winning flights at the ITA Atlantic Regional Championships.

VanEysendeyk qualified for the national tournament, which will be played in Mobile, Ala., on Oct. 16-19, in both singles and doubles play with Fernandez qualifying as her doubles partner.

In singles action, VanEysendeyk captured the title in the “A” flight with a perfect 4-0 record after defeating teammate Alina Stanila (Alexandria, Romania/Technical) in the championship match, 6-3, 6-1. VanEysendeyk earned a first-round bye after entering the tournament as the No. 1 seed. In her first match, she won a three-set tiebreaker against Katie D'Ambrosia of East Stroudsburg University before posting a 6-0, 6-4 win over Britany Craig of West Virginia State University. VanEysendeyk then claimed a 6-3, 6-1 victory against teammate Nina Kowalski (Hofheim, Germany/Man Taunus) in the semifinals before defeating Stanila in the championship match.

Stanila, the No. 2 seed in the flight, registered a 4-1 record winning all four of her matches in straight sets. In the quarterfinals, she posted a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Rohini Das of Kutztown University before claiming a 6-3, 6-4 win against third-seeded Kayla Blackburn of Slippery Rock University in the semifinals.

Kowalski finished the singles flight with a 3-1 record, including a 6-1, 6-1 win over fourth-seeded Briana Moyle of the University of Charleston (W.Va.) in the quarterfinals.

In doubles play, VanEysendeyk and Fernandez claimed the title in the “A” flight with a 4-0 mark after defeating teammates Kowalski and sophomore Galina Vishnikina (Almaty, Kazakhstan/Sport Military) in the finals. VanEysendeyk and Fernandez opened the tournament as the No. 1 seed and posted an 8-1 win in their opening match.

Kowalski and Vishnikina earned an 8-1 win in their opening match before claiming an 8-6 victory the third-seeded doubles tandem from Slippery Rock in the semifinals. Kowalski and Vishnikina finished with a 3-1 record and a second-place finish at the regional championship tournament.

The Vulcans continue their fall season on Friday, Oct. 11, when they open play in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Individual Championships. The two-day event will be hosted by Bloomsburg University.