DeLAND, Fla. – Freshman Melanie Aguirre won the No. 5 singles in the deciding match as No. 64 University of North Florida women's tennis team defeated defending Atlantic Sun champions No. 70 East Tennessee State to claim the 2010 Atlantic Sun Conference Women's Tennis Championship on Saturday afternoon at the Mandy Stoll Tennis Center.

Aguirre, defeated Diana Navrostska 6-4 in the first set, but dropped the second set 6-1. She rallied back in the third set to defeat Navrostska, 6-2 and secure the title for the Ospreys (20-2). Aguirre was named the A-Sun Tournament Most Valuable Player for her performance.

“This was our main goal when we started the year,” said head coach Rodrigo Puebla. “From the beginning, as a coach, that is one of your main goals. We knew the Bucs were going to come out and play their best, but I think we wanted it a little more. Coming in here we did not know what to expect because this is my first time as well. Today we came out using the momentum from yesterday.”

The Ospreys took the early lead in the match after winning the doubles point. Juniors Lauren Holton and Victoria Krook blanked Navrostska and partner Tara Sheets, 8-0 at No. 3.

In the No. 1 doubles, the 90th ranked duo of sophomore Aline Berkenbrock and senior Raquel Castro fell behind 5-3 against Yevgeniya Stupak and Kelly Holtzhausen. The UNF pair rallied back for a 9-7 win to clinch the doubles point for the Ospreys.

Krook scored the first point for the Ospreys in the singles matches at No. 4. She defeated Karina Kedzo, 6-1, 6-1 to put UNF up, 2-0.

Sophomore transfer Danielle Day put the Ospreys on top, 3-0 after winning at No. 3. Day downed Paula Jaime in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1.

The Bucs put a point on the board at No. 6 singles after Holton battled Andra Voinea to three sets. The remaining three singles matches were in the third set for the Ospreys, but Aguirre's win at No. 5 was all that was needed to clinch the title for UNF.

“Over the season, I think everybody contributed to our success,” Puebla said. “We do not really have a team leader because everybody helps in a big way. Without the help of our SWA, Kathy Klein, our Director of Compliance Michelle Bronner and our Athletic Director Lee Moon, we would not have made it. I also really want to thank my assistant coach Ronnie Sang, who really stepped up this year. I was gone for a while this season with a family emergency and he really kept the team on track and was a big key to our success.”

Berkenbrock and Day, along with Aguirre were named to the A-Sun All-Tournament team.

This is the first Atlantic Sun title that the University of North Florida has won since completing its full reclassification into NCAA Division I status. The UNF men's golf team, which was already Division I, won an A-Sun title in 2008.

UNF 4, ETSU 1

Singles
No. 1 – Aline Berkenbrock (UNF) vs. Yevgeniya Stupak (ETSU) 2-6, 6-1, 5-6, unfinished
No. 2 – Raquel Castro (UNF) vs. Kelly Holtzhausen (ETSU) 3-6, 6-4, 5-4, unfinished
No. 3 – Danielle Day (UNF) def. Paula Jaime (ETSU) 6-4, 6-2
No. 4 – Victoria Krook (UNF) def. Karina Kedzo (ETSU) 6-1, 6-1
No. 5 – Melanie Aguirre (UNF) def. Diana Navrostska (ETSU) 6-4, 1-6, 6-2
No. 6 – Andra Voinea (ETSU) def. Lauren Holton (UNF) 3-6, 6-0, 6-2

Doubles
No. 1 – Berkenbrock/Castro (UNF) def. Stupak/Holtzhausen (ETSU) 9-7
No. 2 – Jaime/Kedzo (ETSU) def. Day/Aguirre (UNF) 8-4
No. 3 – Holton/Krook (UNF) def. Navrostska/Tara Sheets (ETSU) 8-0