The final result Tuesday appeared to be inevitable as a talented and resilient RCSJ Women's Tennis Team repeated as NJCAA Region 19 championship during the tournament held at Mercer County Park -- but the great vibes affiliated with a championship season will last forever.
And yes, this Region 19 title complements an impressive 11-1 dual meet finish along with a recently captured Garden State Athletic Conference crown already turned in by Coach Mary Jewett's team.
In the team race at Mercer County Park, the Runners finished with 23 points to outlast runner-up Mercer CC, which picked up 17 points. Rounding out the top five were Ocean County College, Camden County College and Brookdale, CC.
NJCAA Region 19 Women's Tennis Results -- Click Below
"Every single player was simply magnificent," said Jewett, a third-year coach. "They had to be playing their best matches for us to defeat Mercer, a very tough opponent."
In individual competition, RCSJ emerged with six players gaining All-Region honors from six overall matches. They included the first doubles team of Emily Hamilton and Jenna Georgette, second singles Allyson Green, third singles Georgette, fourth singles Annabelle Williams, fifth singles Allison Barker, and sixth singles Rachael Summers.
Roadrunner champions were Hamilton and Georgette at first doubles as well as singles' standouts Georgette, Williams, Barker and Summers. Greene placed second overall at No. 2 singles.
While the outcome proved to be the same as last season, the Roadrunners hope to be a factor during the upcoming NJCAA Women's Tennis Championship Tournament, May 2-4 in Sumter, SC. The team placed as national runner-up last spring.
"We have a more experienced and talented team, so hopefully we will be very competitive," said Jewett. "The teams are very tough at Nationals, so we will have our work cut out for us."
In addition, Coach Jewett acknowledged roster players Rachel Rush and Mia Garcia, who supported the team all season. "They were there every step of the way, and everyone appreciate their support," said Jewett.
Championship Match Day Preview
Following a solid opening round Sunday during the Region 19 Women's Tennis Championship at Mercer County Park, Roadrunner standouts Emily Hamilton, Annabelle Williams and Allison Barker hope to finish the job this afternoon when action continues at 3:30 pm.
The Runners captured 9 of 10 matches to grab a three-point lead over Mercer County College entering the final day of competition. Coach Mary Jewett's team advanced 8 players into the 9 championship final matches and are in good position to win a second straight Region 19 team crown. The Runners also finished last season as national runnerup in NJCAA Division III and hope to earn a qualifying berth to the National Championship Tournament.
"We played well on the first day so we feel confident we have a good shot to win the team championship," said No. 1 singles Emily Hamilton, a returning All-American. "We have a lot of experience, and we all know how to adjust during tough matches."
Top players have included returning All-Americans Hamilton and Jenna Georgette in first doubles matches, with Hamilton (No. 1 singles), Allyson Green (No. 2) and Georgette (No. 3) also turning in commanding performances in singles play.
The fourth, fifth and sixth singles' players -- Annabelle Williams (No. 4), Allison Barker (No. 5), and Rachael Summers (No. 6) all finished the regular season with undefeated records.
Each and everyone throughout the lineup turned in solid performances as the Runners took over the leadership spot with 17 points followed by Mercer CC (14) and Ocean County College (4).
"We have a few experienced players so we're prepared for whatever comes our way," said Williams, the No. 4 singles who formerly competed at Kingsway High School. "We're excited to have such a good presence in the championship matches."
Allison Barker, No. 5 singles and returning All-American, notes that the team hopes to improve on last season's accomplishments.
"Last year we weren't certain what to expect -- and we ended up winning the regions," she said. "We feel we're a better team this year with our experience and some really talented first-year players on the roster. We're anxious to see how far we can go this season."
Championship matches begin at 3:30 pm Tuesday. Check back for results at rcroadrunners.com,