LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, PA. (April 16, 2009) – Lincoln University of Pennsylvania senior tennis players Sherrell Harwell (Deptford, NJ, Gloucester County Tech) and Alisa Davis (Deptford, N.J., Gloucester County Tech) have been best friends since they were in third grade. Yet, the affable pair enjoyed a special moment together for the first time in their lives during its season-ending 5-4 defeat to rival Cheyney University. Davis and Harwell closed their careers in the orange-and-blue by winning their doubles match.
Davis and Harwell defeated Cheyney's Hana Wilder and Vernae Coleman, 8-2 at No. 1 doubles for Lincoln. Harwell was one of three singles winners for the Lady Lions. Harwell beat Coleman, 8-3 at No. 3 singles. The other Lincoln winners were freshman Stephanie Henry (Pleasantville, N.J./Pleasantville) at No. 1 singles and junior Doreen King at No. 3 singles.
However, the day belonged to Lincoln's terrific tandem of Davis and Harwell, who found themselves as partners. Watching the pair dominate and move around the court with the grace of ballerinas and speed of greyhounds, one would've thought they had been playing together forever.
“We know each other's strength and weaknesses and plus we communicate well with each other,” Harwell said. “During the match, I got off to a slow start and another doubles partner may have got mad, but Alisa told me not to worry and that gave me what I needed to settle down.”
The pair have been inseparable since meeting each other in elementary school. Oddly, they insist it wasn't part of a great master plan to attend Lincoln together. It just happened that way. Davis is continuing in the footsteps of her parents and brother, who graduated from Lincoln.
“It was Alisa's idea for me to apply to Lincoln,” Harwell said. “It didn't occur to us that we were attending Lincoln together until the final week of our high school graduation. Our classmates were like 'I'm going to miss you to everybody' and we looked at each other and said, oh we'll see each other soon.”
They have seen plenty of one another during their four years at Lincoln. As members of the Sigma Beta Delta Honors for Business, Student Government Association Board, Honors Program Board, SAAC, softball team and working at the Library and the Bookstore, they have motivated and supported each other. Of course, they have been able to finish each other's sentences.
In addition Davis works in the Lincoln Compliance Office, sits on the Class of 2009 Board, the Business Club Board and the Alpha Mu Gamma Foreign Language Honor Society. Harwell is part of the Higher Betterment Movement and she had the highest Grade Point Average among Student-Athletes during the 2006-07 season.
With so many accolades, it's no surprise that the future is bright for both players. Davis will earn her B.A. in Business Administration on May 3, 2009. She also minored in Spanish. Meanwhile, Harwell, a double major in Finance and Actuary Sciences, will be finished in the summer. Both have plans to attend graduate school. Davis will be working at Parke Bank in the Accounting and Finance Dept. in Sewell, NJ immediately after graduation. Harwell, who will work with the Follet Corporation, wants to attend Law school.
“They have been the epitome of role models in terms of dedication (which is really important), responsibility and connecting the underclassmen with the upperclassmen,” Lincoln women's tennis coach Ethel Watson said. “They've been able to balance academics and athletics and conquer the many challenges they've faced. More importantly, they've always maintained great grades.”
However, sharing a few minutes together on the court together was an unforgettable memory for Harwell and Davis, who have served as trailblazers and torchbearers for Lincoln women's tennis in the future.
“We knew this was our last college match, but we tried to not think about it,” Davis said. “It's funny when you think about it because we never played doubles together in high school, but winning this match is definitely icing on the cake for us. Playing for Lincoln has been a blast and a pleasure. It's been really fun.”
RESULTS
Cheyney 5 Lincoln 4
Singles
Stephanie Henry (Pleasantville, N.J./Pleasantville) (LU) d. Imani Johnson, 8-3
Hana Wilder (CU) d. Alisa Davis (Deptford, N.J./Gloucester County Tech), 8-3
Sherrell Harwell (Deptford, NJ/Gloucester County Tech) (LU) d. Vernae Coleman, 8-3
Doreen King (LU) d. Shakyra Dawson, 8-5
Andrea Wilder (CU) d. Ellen Brown, 8-0
Cheyney wins by forfeit, 8-0
Doubles
Harwell and Davis (LU) d. Wilder and Coleman, 8-2
Johnson and Dawson (CU) d. King and Brown, 8-2
Cheyney won by forfeit, 8-0
--LU--
