Binghamton, NY — Make that three-straight.
 
The State University of New York at New Paltz women's tennis team waited over a year to defend its conference championship crown and Thursday it had the long-awaited opportunity.
 
After defeating Fredonia in the semifinals earlier in the day, the Hawks had a four-hour hiatus before coming back to the Binghamton Tennis Center to face Oneonta for the third time this season, and third-straight year in the championship, to defeat the Red Dragons, 5-1 to earn their third consecutive SUNYAC title.
 
"They really worked hard," said SUNY New Paltz coach Rob Bruley. "The fall was tough. No one knew what was going on. For the freshmen it was a strange environment for them. We dealt with a bit of adversity in the spring with some injuries to key players, but we are nice and deep and we were able to get through that. It was just great to compete and put another banner up in the athletic department." 
The top-seeded Hawks (7-0 overall) opened up the championship match by going 2-1 in doubles play. Oneonta switched up its doubles lineup, hoping to steal a point early. Laura Koob — who was named tournament MVP — and Trinity Chow defeated Sophia Schutte and Mya Lipscomb in first doubles, 8-4, while Onalee Batcheller and Alexandra Dratch won second doubles, 8-2 over Madeline Carswell and Jayden Carillo. Oneonta took its only victory at third doubles, as Loretta Donovan and Jenna Gradville suffered its first loss this season, ending its undefeated six-match win streak after falling to Rebecca Macdonald and Olivia Fraser in a tight match, 6-8.
 
"It is extremely tough to beat a team three times," Bruley said. "They changed all their doubles teams to shake it up. We knew they were trying to win a point at three doubles. We weren't surprised. They played experienced people at three, but we weren't concerned because we knew we'd be strong at singles."
 
Bruley's notion was correct. Chow, who sat during the Hawks' semifinal match against the Blue Devils, was impressive in first singles, defeating Fraser, 6-2, 6-2. Koob then won her match against Lipscomb at second singles, 6-3, 6-2 before freshman Tatiana Barnett officially clinched the SUNYAC title for her team, defeating Carillo at fifth singles, 6-3, 6-3. Barentt is yet to lose a match in her collegiate career.
 
"It was fantastic and she didn't realize it at first," Bruley said. "We kept it quiet, but to have a freshman close it out was great. Everyone ran on and mobbed her in the end, great experience for her." 
 
SUNY New Paltz claimed its seventh SUNYAC Championship and for the first time Bruley's nearly 30-year tenure as head of the program, won its third-straight conference title. He led the Hawks to back-to-back championships in 2006-07 and 2007-08, and again in 2018-19 and 2019-20, but with the victory Thursday, the 2021 team owns the program's first-ever three-peat.
 
"First time ever. We've two-peated but never three in a row. I'm proud to be their coach," Bruley said. "It's not easy to do this. They just keep rolling and it was exciting. In these really tough times in COVID… it's nice to hopefully put a smile on the department and I know they were proud to represent New Paltz today."
 
The win also gives SUNY New Paltz an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. It missed out on an opportunity to compete for a national title last year, as NCAA's were canceled due to COVID-19. Last time the Hawks competed in the national tournament, they swept Husson University in the first round before falling to MIT in round two back in the spring of 2019.
 
The NCAA DIII Women's Tennis Selection show is scheduled for May 10.
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