NEWBURGH, N.Y. - With Friday's Skyline Conference semifinal match tied at 4-4, Mount Saint Mary College freshman Stat Willand (Sparta, N.J.) prevailed in three tension-full sets to send the Knights to the Skyline Conference championship match.  The Mount will take on top-seeded Farmingdale State College in the championship on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. in Farmingdale.

Despite two set points in the opening set, Willand dropped the opener in a tiebreak, 7-5.  The rookie scratched and clawed his way to a tiebreak in the second set, this time coming through, 7-4.  In the final set, Willand had two chances to serve out the match, ultimately prevailing on his second attempt, 7-5.  At 30-15 in the final game, Willand climbed the back fence for a spectacular get and eventually went on to win the point.  He closed out the match with a clean winner on the ensuing point.

The Knights also claimed singles points at the second and fifth positions.  Freshman Greg Jacob (Ridgefield, Conn.) cruised to a 6-1, 6-2 win at second singles, while sophomore Kevin Ryan (West Islip, N.Y.) claimed a hard-fought 6-4, 6-2 win at fifth singles.

Mount Saint Mary earned two of the three doubles points to start the match and almost wound up with a sweep until the St. Joseph's third doubles team pulled out a tiebreaker, 7-5.  Jacob and Willand rolled to an 8-2 win at first doubles, while juniors Mike McNicholas (Milton, N.Y.) and Nate Ahlberg (Catskill, N.Y.) rallied for an 8-6 win in the second position.

The Knights improved to 11-5 on the season.