Mahwah, NJ...The College of New Jersey women's tennis team added another chapter to its run through conference play as the Lions beat host Ramapo College 9-0 on Wednesday to claim their 29th straight New Jersey Athletic Conference title.

The Lions have won every conference crown since the conference began sponsoring the sport in 1982 and have won all 142 matches against NJAC foes. This season, TCNJ not only finished 6-0 in the conference, but secured the NJAC's first automatic bid into the 2012 NCAA Division III Championships next spring. This is the first season the conference has had an automatic bid into the national tournament.

The loss was the first setback for the Roadrunners against a conference opponent this fall as they fell to 3-1 in the NJAC and 6-2 overall.

TCNJ started with a sweep in doubles taking first through third by 8-0 scores. Felice Trinh (Linden, NJ/Linden) and Allison Tierney (Berkeley Heights, NJ/Governor Livingston) started with a win in the first position, while Paige Aiello (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough) and Deborah Wu (Westfield, NJ/Westfield) posted a victory in the second slot. The Lions completed the sweep as Emily Petersack (Mercerville, NJ/Notre Dame) and Alex Bologno (Point Pleasant, NJ/Point Pleasant Beach) took the win at third singles.

Tierney, Aiello, Wu, and Petersack also added wins in singles, as did Karisse Bendijo (Egg Harbor Twp., NJ/Egg Harbor Twp.)  and Sarah Lippincott (Millville, NJ/Millville).

The Lions head to New York State this weekend to compete in the ITA Northeast Regional hosted by Hobart and William Smith College. The tournament will start on Saturday, September 24 and run through Monday, September 26.

The College of New Jersey 9, Ramapo College 0
Singles competition
1. Karisse Bendijo (TCNJWOM) def. Hayley Downing (RCNJWT) 6-0, 6-0
2. Allison Tierney (TCNJWOM) def. Nicole Pitts (RCNJWT) 6-0, 6-0
3. Paige Aiello (TCNJWOM) def. Maegan Heaney (RCNJWT) 6-0, 6-0
4. Deborah Wu (TCNJWOM) def. Katelyn Wintz (RCNJWT) 6-0, 6-0
5. Emily Petersack (TCNJWOM) def. Gira Patel (RCNJWT) 6-0, 6-0
6. Sarah Lippincott (TCNJWOM) def. Karina Antequera (RCNJWT) 6-0, 6-0

Doubles competition
1. Felice Trinh/Allison Tierney (TCNJWOM) def. Hayley Downing/Nicole Pitts (RCNJWT) 8-0
2. Paige Aiello/Deborah Wu (TCNJWOM) def. Maegan Heaney/Katelyn Wintz (RCNJWT) 8-0
3. Emily Petersack/Alex Bologno (TCNJWOM) def. Gira Patel/Karina Antequera (RCNJWT) 8-0