ANNVILLE, Pa. – Junior Joeliza Valdez (Brooklyn, N.Y./EBC Bushwick) picked up her first career All-Conference honor on Tuesday by earning a spot on the All-Freedom Conference second team, as announced by the conference office.
 
In her junior season, she was moved up to the first-singles flight for the spring semester for the first time in her career, posting a 1-7 mark at the top flight and 2-9 overall in singles play. Valdez also spent most of the year at the first-doubles flight as well for the Valiants.
 
Her best match of the year came in Manhattanville's close 5-4 victory over Sarah Lawrence on October 22, when Valdez picked up a pair of wins to help clinch the team's first win of the year. She teamed with senior Kim Kunces (Darien, Conn./Darien) for a tense 9-8 (7-3) first doubles win to help the squad sweep the three doubles matches, then earned a crucial singles point with a 6-3, 6-2 win at second singles.
 
In three seasons with Manhattanville, Valdez is 11-27 in singles play and has steadily moved up the flights since her first year with the team, having played at least one dual match at all six singles slots.
 
Manhattanville finished the 2011-12 season with a 2-9 (0-5 Freedom) record. 

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