The Dominican University women’s tennis team punched its ticket into the Northern Athletics Conference (NAC) Team Tournament on Wednesday night, edging the Aurora University Spartans, 5-4, to finish in a tie for fourth place in the conference standings and claim their spot in the conference’s six-team tournament to be played in the Spring.
 
After falling behind 2-1 following doubles, the Stars picked up wins at one, four, five and six singles to top the Spartans by the slimmest of margins.  Rachel Taddy (Cary, Ill.) got the Stars going in singles action, topping Aurora’s Chloe Madison at number one singles, 6-3, 6-0.
 
At number four, Marbeya Berner (New Lenox, Ill.) didn’t drop a single game, sweeping the Spartan’s Emily Kuntzi, 6-0, 6-0, while Rosemary Orchanian (Portage, Mich.) was met with little more resistance at number six singles, winning 6-0, 6-2.  Monica Budzak (Chicago, Ill.) grinded out the Stars’ toughest point, knocking off Aurora’s Taylor LaVoy at number five singles 6-3, 7-6 (7-5).
 
The win improves the Stars’ to 7-5 overall and 7-4 in the NAC.  Dominican will close out the Fall portion of the 2012-2013 schedule on Saturday at the Edgewood College Invitational to be held at the Nielsen Tennis Stadium in Madison, Wis.