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MIDLAND, Mich. -- The third time proved to be a charm for the Wayne State University women's tennis team. WSU earned its first NCAA regional title in school history Tuesday, defeating longtime tennis power Northwood University in the NCAA regional finals, 5-3. Wayne State earned the win over Northwood in its third attempt against the Timberwolves (22-1) this season. It was also Wayne State's third attempt in the past six years to reach the NCAA Round of 16.

With the win, the Warriors have earned two victories in the 2014 NCAA Tournament under head coach Sheila Snyder and advance to the NCAA Division II Round of 16, being held May 14-17 in Altamonte Springs, Fla. The Warriors (25-4) earned their first victory over Northwood since 1995 with the win.

Wayne State, the No. 3 seed, got off to a strong start against second-seeded Northwood, which was playing on its home courts. WSU won two of the three matches in doubles to take a 2-1 lead over the Timberwolves.

The Warriors won their matches at the No. 2 and No. 3 flights in doubles. Freshman Andreea Mitrache (Sterling Heights, Mich. / Warren Cousino) and sophomore Alex Poissant (Laval, Que. / Vanier Prep) won 8-5 at No. 2 doubles, while sophomore Julia Kamenko (Toronto, Ont. / Vaughan S.S.) and senior Jessica Kruczek (Detroit, Mich. / Lakeview) tallied an 8-6 victory at No. 3 doubles for the Warriors.

In singles, Wayne State won the first set in four of the six flights to fight off any shift in momentum.

Northwood did get a point back as Darina Berkova topped WSU junior Yahsha Moore (West Bloomfield, Mich. / West Bloomfield) at No. 1 singles. With the score knotted 2-2, WSU junior Anne Li Briand (Repentigny, Que. / École Secondaire Félix-Leclerc) gave the Warriors the lead once again by winning in straight-sets at No. 4 singles. Briand didn't drop a game in the first set and dropped just four overall on her way to a 6-0, 6-4 win over Northwood's Inesa Asatryan to give Wayne State a 3-2 advantage.

After Northwood tied the match 3-3 by winning at No. 6 singles, Wayne State closed out the match with consecutive victories by Poissant at No. 3 singles and Mitrache at No. 2 singles.

Poissant won her second singles match in as many days, winning 6-1, 6-4 over Northwood's Anastasiia Kazub. Mitrache won 7-5 in the first set and won the final three games in the second set to clinch the match for the Warriors. Mitrache won 7-5, 6-2 at the No. 2 flight over NU's Anastasia Puchkina.

The Warriors, ranked No. 41 in the nation, are facing the two-time defending national champions in Armstrong Atlantic in the Round of 16. Amstrong Atlantic is the No. 2-ranked school nationally and has reached the Sweet 16 in 20 consecutive seasons. Wayne State is making its eighth NCAA Tournament appearance in the past 10 seasons.

NOTES: With her victory in singles Tuesday, Briand tied the single-season record for victories at 27. Briand, who is 27-3 this season in singles, tied Kristina Goranskaya's mark that she set in 2011-12. Briand and Moore also tied the single-season record in doubles wins after earning their 24th win as a duo in Monday's NCAA Tournament first-round win over Missouri-St. Louis.