NORTON, Mass. -- The Wheaton College (Mass.) women's tennis team was defeated by visiting Springfield College, 9-0, in a dual match this afternoon in a New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference match at the Clark Tennis Courts on the Wheaton campus in Norton, Mass. The Lyons fall to 5-11 overall and 2-4 in league play. The Pride improve to 11-5-1 and 4-3.
Prior to the match, Wheaton celebrated its three seniors. The Lyons honored Miriam Galindo Cerrada (Madrid, Spain), Alexis Acosta (Albuquerque, N.M.), Katie Steinberg (Cumberland, Maine) and Jessica Love (Toronto, Ont.).
Springfield swept all three doubles matches, but it wasn't easy, as all three contests were decided in tie-breakers. The Pride won all three matches by scores of 8-7. Junior Gabriella Heaney-Secord (Westwood, Mass.) joined with first year Taylor Suozzo (Bedford, N.H.) for a victory at number one over the Wheaton duo of Galindo Cerrada and sophomore Mareike Mueller (Amesbury, Mass.). Senior Rielly Malz (South Glastonbury, Conn.) combined with first year Ramida Manataweewat (Thailand, Bangkok) for the win at second doubles over the Lyon pairing of Acosta and Steinberg. Sophomore Kate Rosselli (Trumbull, Conn.) and first year Jorja Mederick (Gros-Islet, Saint Lucia) combined for a triumph at third doubles over Wheaton's Love and first year Izzy Kruse (Woodstock, Ga.).
Springfield had its hands full at the top two singles spots. Junior Veronica Fulgieri (Burnt Hills, N.Y.) battled to a 7-5 first set win over Acosta at second singles, before taking the second frame, 6-1. Heaney-Secord grinded out a 7-5 victory for the Pride in the opening set at number one singles against Galindo Cerrada and eeked out a 7-6 (4) decision in the second set for the win.
Following a formidable challenge in doubles play, the Pride picked up two quick points to win the match with impressive efforts at fourth and sixth singles. Mederick dropped just one game in a 6-0, 6-1 win over Love at sixth singles, before Malz clinched the match for Springfield with a 6-0, 6-0 straight set win over Mueller at number four.
Manataweewat won at third singles for the Pride with a 6-3, 6-0 showing against Steinberg and Suozzo fought to a 6-3, 6-2 win at fifth singles over Kruse.
Springfield returns to action on Tuesday, April 26 when it hosts NEWMAC foe Mount Holyoke College at 4:00 p.m., while the Lyons host Massachusetts Institute of Technology in league action on the same day at the same time.
