NORTHAMPTON, Mass. - The Wheaton College women's tennis team completed its unblemished run through the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) on Sunday, as the top-seeded Lyons earned their second consecutive league tournament crown with today's 5-2 victory over second seed Wellesley College at Smith College.

Ranked 10th in the region by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA), Wheaton extended its winning streak to 10 matches while defeating a NEWMAC team for the 14th straight time dating back to last season.  Returning to next May's next NCAA Tournament, the Lyons are now 12-1.  Wellesley, which stands 11th in the most recent ITA Northeast poll, fell to 8-3.  Wheaton and Wellesley has combined to win the last seven conference tournament crowns.

For the second consecutive year, senior Catherine Teague's (Manchester, N.H./Central) singles victory clinched the Lyons' team win in the league championship match, downing senior Jacqueline Shen (Calgary, Alberta/Queen Elizabeth) by a 7-5, 6-4 count from the top spot.  Teague, who was named Most Outstanding Player, and classmate Sarah Geocaris (Newport Beach, Calif./Sage Hill School) provided Wheaton with an 8-2 doubles triumph in the top slot.

Freshmen Lyndsay Cooke (Bakersfield, Calif./Bakersfield Christian) and Madison Hartley (Charlotte, Vt./Rice Memorial) were victorious at second doubles, as their 8-1 win helped give the Lyons a 2-1 edge entering singles play.

Cooke won 6-3, 6-0 at number three to pick up Wheaton's first singles victory, but the Blue responded with a win in the fifth spot to get within 3-2.  That's as close as Wellesley would get, as senior Ellen Van Faasen (Manchester, Mass./Manchester Essex Regional) recorded a 6-1, 6-4 victory in the sixth position prior to Teague's hard-fought win.

Completing the fall portion of their schedule today, the Lyons resume competition next March beginning with their annual spring break trip to Hilton Head, South Carolina.