BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Buccaneers coach Avi Kigel is getting used to this. Although he insists it's never easy.

Barry University's fourth-ranked women's tennis team won its fourth Sunshine State Conference regular season title since the league started awarding it five years ago after beating host and seventh-ranked Lynn, 5-4, Tuesday at Perper Tennis Complex.

"Every year it feels great," Kigel said. "This is one of our first goals, to win the regular season. It's a testament to the hard work we've put in. To beat Lynn, it's a great accomplishment and a great win for the program."

Barry took a 2-1 lead after doubles, using a key No. 3 pairs win from 35th-ranked Carolin Schmidt and Zuza Maciejewska to put the first point on the board for the Bucs. Schmidt clinched the victory for the Buccaneers with a No. 5 singles win.

""It was a good fight today," said Schmidt, who improved to 14-0 in singles and 15-0 in pairs play with Maciejewska. "They always have a good team. I knew it was going to be a tough match. We will definitely find something to eat to celebrate with today."

Despite dropping the No. 1 doubles match, Barry's Verena Schmid came up with a big victory at No. 3 singles to move the Bucs within a point of sealing the deal when she beat 59th-ranked Diana Bogolii, 6-1, 6-3, at No. 3 singles. 

"It feels good, but we still have a long ways to go," Schmid said. "The more important tournaments are coming. We are confident. We are looking forward to what's ahead. Last year we went unbeaten. Our goal is to do that again. We are confident, and we are looking to doing the same as last year."
 

INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Barry 5, Lynn 4
Records: Barry (19-0, 9-0 SSC), Lynn (14-3, 6-1 SSC)

DOUBLES:

• Thirty fifth-ranked Schmidt and Maciejewska beat Bogolii and Eleonora Liga, 8-2, at No. 3 doubles for a 1-0 lead.
• Julie Razafindranaly and Hannah Seizer made it 2-0 when they defeated Federica Mordegan and Anastacia Parkin, 8-6, at No. 2.
• At No. 1 doubles 14th-ranked Sonja Larsen and Schmid fell to 28th-ranked Klaudia Boczova and Eliska Petrackova, 8-6, to pull the Fighting Knights within a point.

SINGLES:

• Razafindranaly gave Barry a 3-1 lead when she carved out a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Parkin at No. 6.
• Schmid's win made it 4-1 for the Bucs.
• Lynn responded with two straight wins at Nos. 1 and 2 to pull within 4-3.
• Schmidt clinched the match in her first Barry-Lynn encounter.
• The Fighting Knights won at No. 4 singles when Maciejewska retired after the second set, despite winning the first.

NOTEWORTHY:

• Barry has won 78 Sunshine State Conference titles as a school.
• The Buccaneers have won 14 SSC titles in total, including regular season and postseason.
• Sonja Larsen's 44-match dual consecutive singles mark came to an end in a loss at the No.  1 position to unbeaten Boczova. Larsen hadn't lost a Division II match since her sophomore season.
• Maciejewska has retired in two straight singles matches -- the only two times in her career.
• The Buccaneers are 9-0 on the road this season.
• Schmid has beaten Bogolii three straight times with an unfinished result in last year's national championship match. 

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING:

"It's very gratifying. People can look on the outside and say it's so easy to win, but it's really not. Every year is different. We're happy for the title, but we're not satisfied. We want more. Hopefully, we get ready and achieve our goals."
        -- Barry head coach Avi Kigel

ON THE HORIZON:

Barry will host Palm Beach Atlantic at 3 p.m. Thursday on Senior Day in the final SSC regular season match.

BOX SCORE