NORTON, Mass. – Seniors Laila Haraj-Sai (Madison, Conn.) and Asia-Leigh Hollis (Hamilton, Bermuda) were both double winners to lead the Wheaton College (Mass.) women's tennis team over visiting Bridgewater State University, 5-2, this afternoon at Clark Tennis Courts on the Wheaton campus in Norton, Mass.
The Lyons improve to 1-1 on the season, while the Bears fall to 3-2.
Wheaton won two of three doubles matches to earn the doubles point and take a 1-0 lead in the dual match, before winning four of six singles matches.
Haraj-Sai and Hollis combined for a 6-3 win at number one doubles over Bridgewater State senior Aislyn Kelliher (Plymouth, Mass.) and junior Morgan Smith (Taunton, Mass.) to earn the doubles point. Senior Isabella Cottrell (Melrose, Mass.) combined with junior Maya Brennan (Valatie, N.Y.) for a comfortable 6-1 victory at third doubles over the first year Bear tandem of Ana Eccles (Swampscott, Mass.) and Maeve Snyder (Amesbury, Mass.). Bridgewater State's lone doubles triumph came at number two behind senior Samantha Bettencourt (Tiverton, R.I.) and Ava Alves (Taunton, Mass.) in a grueling 7-6 effort over Lyon first years Maya Huerta (Cabo San Lucas, Mexico) and Taylor Shanefelter (Champion, Pa.).
Haraj-Sai clinched the match, earning Wheaton's fourth point with a three-set win at number one singles over Smith. Haraj-Sai dropped the first set, 6-3, before bouncing back to win the next two frames, 6-0, 6-2 to give the Lyons a 4-0 lead. Hollis cruised to a straight-set victory, 6-4, 6-3, at second singles over Kelliher.
Huerta dropped just one game in a 6-1, 6-0 result over Eccles for her first collegiate victory for Wheaton at fourth singles. Sophomore Lily Runyan (New Milford, Conn.) lost the opening set at sixth singles to BSU junior Sarah Pothier (Rochester, Mass.), 6-2, before regrouping for identical 6-2 triumphs in each of the next two frames for the home team's fifth point.
Both of the Bears' points came at third and fifth singles. Alves won in three sets over Brennan. The Lyons' junior took the opening frame, 6-3, before Alves stormed back for a 6-3, 6-2 showing in the next two sets at number three. Junior Violetta Babichev (Norwell, Mass.) closed out the match with a 6-4, 6-4 win at fifth singles over Wheaton senior Taylor Wilson (Dover, N.H.).
The Lyons will be in action again on September 27 when they compete in Newport, R.I. at the Grass Court Doubles Championship hosted at the National Tennis Hall of Fame at 1:00 p.m., while Bridgewater State heads to Providence, R.I. on September 19 for a 1:00 p.m. match with Rhode Island College.
