SELINSGROVE, PA – Senior Tara McHugh will begin her quest for a second straight singles championship as Susquehanna participates in the 2003 Middle Atlantic Conference Women’s Tennis tournament beginning Friday at Drew University.

McHugh (Jeannette, PA/Hempfield Area H.S.) will be joined by sophomore Danielle Dormer (Harrisburg, PA/Central Dauphin East H.S.) in singles competition while the team of juniors Sarah Lampe (St. Marys, PA/Elk County Christian) and Leah Rice (Ottsville, PA/Pennridge H.S.) will compete in doubles for the Crusaders, who finished 6-3 overall and 4-3 in the Commonwealth Conference in 2003.

McHugh became the first Susquehanna player since 1979 to win the MAC singles title when she capped a perfect 16-0 season by defeating Lycoming’s Cricket Temple 6-4, 6-2 in the championship match. This season, McHugh compiled a 6-2 record at number-one singles and brings a 43-9 career record into the tournament.

Dormer, who advanced to the second round of the MAC tournament as a freshman, finished the 2003 regular season with a perfect 9-0 record and dropped just one set along the way to improve her career mark to a gaudy 20-3.

Lampe and Rice teamed up for the first time this season and compiled a 4-1 record in doubles action while playing primarily at the number two position behind the tandem of McHugh and Dormer.

Ninth-year head coach Bob Jordan’s players will open action on Friday at 9 a.m. with first, second and third round action. Semifinal and finals action in both singles and doubles will be played Saturday also beginning at 9 a.m. at Drew.