SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- The fifth-seeded Wheaton College (Mass.) women's tennis team earned a win at number one doubles, but host number four seed Springfield College came away with a 5-1 victory this afternoon at Appleton Tennis Courts in the New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference Tournament Quarterfinals in Springfield, Mass. The Lyons finish their season at 6-13 on the season, while the Pride improve to 13-5-1. Springfield advances to the Semifinals to take on top-seeded Massachusetts Institute of Technology on May 7 at 10:30 a.m. in Cambridge, Mass.
Senior Miriam Galindo Cerrada (Madrid, Spain) and sophomore Mareike Mueller (Amesbury, Mass.) took a 7-1 lead at number one doubles, before finishing their Springfield opponents in the top spot for an 8-3 victory over junior Gabriella Heaney-Secord (Westwood, Mass.) and first year Taylor Suozzo (Bedford, N.H.) to keep Wheaton to within 2-1 after doubles play.
Lyon seniors Alexis Acosta (Albuquerqe, N.M.) and Katie Steinberg (Cumberland, Maine) fell at number two doubles to the Pride duo of senior Rielly Malz (South Glastonbury, Conn.) and first year Ramida Manataweewat (Thailand, Bangkok), 8-3. Wheaton was defeated at third doubles as well, 8-1. Senior Jessica Love (Toronto, Ont.) teamed with first year Izzy Kruse (Woodstock, Ga.) for the Lyons in the loss to Springfield sophomore Kate Roselli (Trumbull, Conn.) and first year Jorja Mederick (Gros-Islet, Saint Lucia).
The Pride took a 4-1 lead with wins at sixth and fifth singles. Mederick defeated Love, 6-2, 6-0 at number six, before Suozzo downed Mareike at fifth singles, 6-2, 6-4.
Steinberg and Kruse both battled back from being down a set to send their matches at second and fourth singles, respectively, to a third set. Kruse fell in the opening set, 6-2, but matched Malz, 6-2, in the second frame to send the match to a third deciding set. Malz had plenty left for the final set to come away with a 6-1 victory to give Springfield the fifth and deciding point for a 5-1 decision. The match was played to decision as the remaining singles matches were left unfinished.
