NORTON, Mass. – The Wheaton College (Mass.) women's tennis team was defeated by visiting No. 14 Babson College, 7-0, in New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference action this afternoon at Clark Tennis Courts on the Wheaton campus in Norton, Mass.
The Lyons slip to 6-9 overall and 3-4 in NEWMAC play, while the Beavers, who are ranked in the most recent Intercollegiate Tennis Association national poll, have won five of their last six and improve to 12-4 and 6-2.
Babson dropped a total of two games in doubles play, while sweeping through every match to gain the first point of the dual match. The Beavers won all six singles contests in straight sets and did not surrender more than three games in any match.
Junior Matia Cristiani (San Salvador, El Salvador), first year Alessandra Cristiani (San Salvador, El Salvador) and sophomore Chaniel Soffer (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) were each double winners for Babson.
Sophomores Laila Haraj-Sai (Madison, Conn.) and Taylor Wilson (Dover, N.H.) each won three games in their respective singles matches to lead Wheaton. Haraj-Sai fell to Chaniel Soffer, 6-2, 6-1 at number two singles, while Wilson was downed by sophomore Riya Matharoo (Dubai, United Arab Emirates), 6-0, 6-3, at fifth singles.
Matia Cristiani paired with senior Olivia Soffer (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) to record a 6-0 win at number one doubles over Wheaton's junior tandem of Kara Greenlee (San Antonio, Texas) and Alissa Ortiz (El Paso, Texas). Alessandra Cristiani and Chaniel Soffer nearly matched their fellow sibling's success with a 6-1 triumph at number two doubles for the Beavers over the Lyon duo of araj-Sai and sophomore Asia Hollis (Hamilton, Bermuda).
Matia Cristiani was just as successful in singles play, dropping just one game in a 6-1, 6-0 effort against Greenlee at number one singles, while her sister, Alessandra enjoyed a 6-1, 6-0 result at number three singles over Ortiz.
Sophomore Dana Kamal (Cairo, Egypt) combined with Babson first year Mia Sorrentino (Miami, Fla.) for a 6-1 victory at third doubles over Wilson and Wheaton first year Maya Brennan (Valatie, N.Y.).
Beaver junior Grace Starcher (Morristown, N.J.) gave up just two games in a 6-2, 6-0 effort at number four singles over Hollis, while Babson junior Shyla Khattar (New Delhi, India) was also a winner in singles play for the Beavers, posting a 6-0, 6-1 showing at number six singles over Lyon junior Haylee Doiron (Lowell, Mass.).
Wheaton returns to the courts when it heads to Beverly, Mass. to play Endicott College on Thursday, April 24 at 3:00 p.m., while Babson plays next on Saturday, April 26 when it travels to Amherst, Mass. to take on No. 10 Amherst College.
