PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. – The Benedict College women's tennis captured their third consecutive SIAC Championship with a 5-2 victory over Clark Atlanta University on Tuesday afternoon at the Peachtree Tennis Center.

Benedict led 2-1 after doubles play. Caroline Nguy and Daniella Rios took an 8-3 victory at No. 1 doubles, and Karla Flores and Viktoria Izakova pulled out a tough 8-5 victory at No. 2 doubles.

The Lady Tigers needed to win three of the singles matches to secure the victory. Nguy, the SIAC Player of the Year, cruised to a 6-0, 6-0 victory at No. 1 over Clark Atlanta's top player Diandrea Galloway. Clark Atlanta took a point at No. 5 singles, and Rios at No. 4 singles and Adrienne Milow at No. 6 singles were battling through tough matches that were going to a third set tiebreaker.

Izakova prevailed in a tough match against Clark Atlanta's Vanessa Eusebio, 6-4, 6-3 to put Benedict ahead 4-2.

Karla Flores at No. 2 singles gutted out a 6-3, 6-2 victory at No. 2 singles despite being hampered by a toe injury to wrap up the match.

"It was a big win for Karla," said Benedict head coach Gary Taylor. "Also, the turning point was Vicky's win at number three. And of course Caroline is almost an automatic. The turning point was the number two and number three singles, and they both pulled it out. Karla lost a toenail and it was hurting her. It was bleeding and they wrapped it. And she came back and won."

It was the third straight conference championship for the Lady Tigers and the squad's six seniors.

Nguy was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, while Izakova and Flores joined Nguy as All-Tournament selections. Taylor was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Coach.

The Lady Tigers, now 19-3 overall, earned the SIAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Women's Tennis Championship.

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