NORTON, Mass. — The Wheaton College (Mass.) women's tennis team was defeated by visiting Springfield College, 6-3, this afternoon in New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference play at Beard Field House on the Wheaton campus in Norton, Mass.
The Lyons dip to 8-4 overall and 2-1 in league play, while the Pride improve to 1-8 and 1-2.
Springfield swept doubles play to take a 3-0 lead before winning three of six singles matches to secure the victory.
Wheaton dominated the lower lineup with wins at number four, five and six singles. First year Taylor Wilson (Dover, N.H.) won the opening set at fourth singles over sophomore Alysa Elliott (Gros-Islet, Saint Lucia), 7-5, before her Springfield counterpart took the second set, 6-4. Wilson regrouped and commanded the third frame at 10-4 for the win.
First year Asia Hollis (Hamilton, Bermuda) had little trouble at fifth singles with a straight set 6-3, 6-3 victory over sophomore Kelly McGoldrick (Monroe, N.Y.). Junior Izzy Kruse (Woodstock, Ga.) provided a well-fought sixth singles win for the Lyons. Senior Kate Rosselli (Trumbull, Conn.) captured the first set, 7-5, but Kruse came back with a 6-2 result in the middle frame, before coming all the way back with a 10-5 win in the final set for the win.
Graduate student Veronica Fulgieri (Burnt Hills, N.Y.), junior Ramida Manataweewat (Thailand, Bangkok) and first year Kapom Vettayawaikoon (Phuket, Thailand) were all double winners to lead the Springfield
Manataweewat combined with Vettayawaikoon on an 8-2 win at number one doubles over Wheaton senior Mareike Mueller (Amesbury, Mass.) and sophomore Kara Greenlee (San Antonio, Texas). Fulgieri teamed with Rosselli to take an 8-3 decision at second doubles over Lyon sophomore Alissa Ortiz (El Paso, Texas) and Hollis.
Vettayawaikoon rolled at first singles with a 6-3, 6-1 effort over Mueller. Manataweewat batted to a 7-6 (4) first set win over Greenlee at number two singles for the Pride, before taking the second frame, 6-3, to secure the fifth point of the dual match and ensure the win for visiting Springfield. Fulfieri cruised to a 6-1 first set win at number three singles, before Wheaton first year Laila Haraj-Sai (Madison, Conn.) rebounded for a 6-2 win in the middle set. Fulgieri earned a 6-3 third set triumph to take the match.
The sophomore tandem of Elliott and McGoldrick posted an 8-4 win at number three doubles for the Pride over Kruse and Haraj-Sai to give them a 3-0 match lead.
The Pride return to the courts tomorrow when they host NEWMAC foe Salve Regina University at 11:00 a.m., while Wheaton also plays the Seahawks in its next dual match on Saturday, April 13 on the Clark Tennis Courts in Norton at 10:00 a.m.
