SAVANNAH, Ga. -- Two-time defending NCAA Division II national champion Armstrong Atlantic is headed back to the Round of 16 after notching a 5-0 victory against Francis Marion on Monday in the Southeast Region No. 1 final.
The Pirates (25-1) will next head to Altamonte Springs, Florida, on May 14-17 to take on Midwest No. 2 Region winner -- either Northwood (Mich.) and Wayne State (Mich.) -- on May 14. Francis Marion sees its season come to a close with a 15-7 record.
Armstrong took a quick 3-0 lead after doubles play. The top-ranked doubles duo of Aleksandra Filipovski and Barbora Krtickova defeated No. 14-ranked Julia Graf and Nora Westbye 8-2 at No. 1 doubles, while the No. 8-ranked duo of Marlen Hacke and Olga Kalodzitsa downed Caitlin Siney and Samantha Koellicker 8-1 at No. 2 doubles. Clara Perez and Carolina Prats-Millan completed the doubles sweep with an 8-0 win against Savanna Summers and Veronika Viegas at No. 3 doubles.
The Pirates then picked up a pair of 6-0, 6-0 wins to clinch the match. Kalodzitsa blanked Summers at No. 6 singles and Prats-Millan downed Viegas at No. 4 singles.
Armstrong makes its 20th consecutive trip to the NCAA Round of 16, and the Pirates are not only the two-time defending champions but also have won five of the past six NCAA DII national championships.
