BOSTON, Mass. – The Wheaton College women's tennis team opened the 2011 season with a 9-0 win over Simmons College Saturday afternoon in non-conference action.
The Lyons (1-0) began the morning by sweeping all three doubles matches to earn the doubles point. Sophomore Lyndsay Cooke (Bakersfield, Calif./Bakersfield Christian) and freshman Alexandra Marlowe (Mesa, Ariz./Mountain View) knocked off sophomores Margaret Teague (Manchester, N.H.) and Allison Bodek (Lynnfield, Mass.) 8-6 at number one doubles. Senior Allesandra DiOrio (Cumberland, R.I./Lincoln School) and sophomore Sarah Crom (Bremen, Germany/International School of Bremen) defeated junior Sabrina Salmela (Beverly, Mass.) and sophomore Andree Sime (Bradenton, Fla.) 8-1in the No. 2 doubles match, and junior Julia Parmakian (Gorham, ME) and sophomore Morgan Bell (Gloucester, Mass.) downed freshmen Nicole Eskenazi (Goleta, Calif.) and Kristi Mielbye (Hanson, Mass.) 8-6 in the number three doubles match.
Cooke played number one singles for head coach Lynn Miller and dealt Teague a 6-3, 6-0 loss. Marlowe occupied the No. 2 singles spot and defeated Salmela, 6-2, 6-2, while DiOrio rebounded after dropping the first set to defeat Bodek at No. 3 singles, 3-6, 6-1, 10-7.
At No. 4 singles, Bell also answered back after dropping her first set to post a 0-6, 6-1, 6-4 win against Sime. Crom was slotted into the number five position in the lineup and promptly posted a 7-6 (7-2), 7-5 win while junior Jesse Boggis (Hopkinton, Mass./Hopkinton) recorded a 6-0, 6-0 win at No. 6 singles against sophomore Rachel Sweeney (Norfolk, Mass.).
"I'm proud of our team for stepping up and winning all of the close matches," said Miller. "If you look at the scores, if we drop those close ones, we lose the match. Having Lyndsay back in our lineup pushed everyone else down one spot, which allowed them to compete against more even competition. Having her in the lineup gave us a competitive edge."
The Lyons return to action Wednesday afternoon when they host Nichols at 4 p.m. Simmons hosts Babson Tuesday at 4 p.m.
