JOHNSON CITY, TN (April 23, 2005) --- The Milligan College Lady Buffs tennis team won the 2005 Appalachian Athletic Conference tournament as the tournament ended Saturday afternoon.

The Lady Buffs finished in a three-way tie for the regular season title with Tennessee Wesleyan and UVa.-Wise. Milligan’s Lady Buffs won the AAC title by a 10-9 score over UVa.-Wise while Tennessee Wesleyan was third with five points. With the results, the Lady Buffs and UVa.-Wise earn Regional births.

The Buffaloes finished second in the tournament to No. 7 Virginia Intermont as VI won 26-11 over Milligan. The Buffs earned a Regional Bid with their second place finish as King (Tenn.) College finished third with 10 points. The tournament was played at the Memorial Center at ETSU as the tournament was moved indoors from the Liberty Bell Tennis Complex.

With the results, both the Lady Buffs and Buffaloes now advance to NAIA Region XII tournament April 29-30 at the University of Indiana-Southeast at Community Park in New Albany, Ind.

Milligan’s sophomore Ryan Reynolds (Johnson City, Tenn.) lost to Thiago Barbosa of Virginia Intermont in the #2 singles finals by a 0-6, 3-6 score. The Lady Buffs’ #4 senior Jessica Conn (Springboro, Ohio) defeated Courtney Smith (Tennessee Wesleyan) 6-0, 6-4 and #5 sophomore Krissi Denton (Bristol, Tenn.) defeated Yuri Kamakawi (TWC) 6-4, 6-1 to earn singles conference championships. # 3 senior Cheri Lomison (New Castle, Ind.) lost her title match to Autumn Lauzon (UVa.-Wise) 5-7, 4-6.

In doubles, Milligan’s Johnson City sophomore duo of Ryan Reynolds and Tom Jones won the #1 doubles title as they defeated Travis Sandlant and Thiago Barbosa (VI) 8-5. On the women’s side the Lady Buffs won two doubles AAC championships as #1 sister duo of Cheri and Cassie Lomison defeated Vita Feldmana and Anna Blome (VI) 9-8 and #3 Jessica Conn and junior Lauren Douty (Mill Hall, Penn.) defeated Rhyssa Philipp and Ashlie Munsey (UVa.-Wise) 8-5 in the final match of the day which clinched the Women’s championship for Milligan.

All-AAC honors for the Milligan tennis team go to Tom Jones, Ryan Reynolds, Cassie Lomison, Jessica Conn, Cheri Lomison, Krissi Denton and sophomore Amber Campbell (Erwin, Tenn.).

On the All-Academic team for the Buffaloes, senior Patrick Mitchell (Knoxville, Tenn.), Tom Jones, junior Joe Dyer (Monroe, Ga.), Cassie Lomison, Jessica Conn, Cheri Lomison, Krissi Denton and sophomore Beth Toner (Mill Hall, Penn.) earned the honor for the Milligan tennis team.

Tom Jones and Cassie Lomison both earned spots on the All-AAC Sportsmanship team for 2005.