AASU's Bonet, Novakova Capture ITA DII Singles Titles

MOBILE, Ala. - Armstrong Atlantic State swept the DII singles titles on Saturday at the 2008 ITA National Small College Championships as freshmen Edualdo Bonet and Sona Novakova each won their morning title matches at the Copeland-Cox Tennis Center in Mobile, Ala.

Bonet became just the second player in AASU history to earn the ITA's DII singles title with a 6-3, 6-1 win over defending ITA DII singles champion Alex Grubin of Concordia (N.Y.). The Barcelona, Spain, native joins Christian Witt (1998) as ITA DII singles champions in school history.

Meanwhile, Novakova had to go three sets to knock off Suzanna Cavalcante of West Florida, 5-7, 6-1, 6-0, to capture the women's ITA DII singles title. A native of Slapanice, Czech Republic, Novakova is the fourth different player to earn the title, joining Sandra Van der Aa (1994), Zsofia Golopencza (2001, 2003) and Iuliia Stupak (2007).

Both players earned berths in the ITA Super Bowl of Small College Tennis, which began play immediately after the conclusion of the DII championship matches.

Novakova faced off against the Junior College champion Olivia Howlett of Hillsborough (Fla.) CC and won, 6-3, 6-1. She advances to the Super Bowl final on Sunday at 10:00 a.m., where she will face Delia Sescioreanu of Auburn-Montgomery, the NAIA champion.

Bonet faced Cledson DeCarvalho, the junior college champion from Laredo (Texas) CC, and lost in a third-set tiebreaker, 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (3).