Women's Tennis Advances to NE-10 Championship, Defeats SNHU, 5-3, Friday Afternoon
WARRIORS CONTINUE POSTSEASON RUN WITH A 5-3 VICTORY OVER PENMEN AT NORTH ANDOVER HIGH IN NE-10 SEMIFINALS
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – Senior Alyx Barnes (Portsmouth, N.H.) and freshman Grace Messina (Caracas, Venezuela) led the Merrimack College women's tennis team to the win 5-3 victory over fifth seeded Southern New Hampshire University Friday afternoon at North Andover High School. The Warriors will advance to the NE-10 Championship for the first time since 2002, and improve to 14-4, while the Penmen close out the 2014 season 13-8.
The Basics
Score: #1 Merrimack 5, #5 Southern New Hampshire 3
Records: #1 Merrimack (14-4) | #5 Southern New Hampshire (13-8)
Location: North Andover High School | North Andover, Mass.
2014 Northeast-10 Championship Schedule/Results
Tuesday, April 22 – First Round
Match 1: #3 Stonehill 5, #6 Bentley 0
Match 2: #5 Southern New Hampshire 5, #4 Saint Michael's 0
Friday, April 25 – Semifinals
#5 Southern New Hampshire 3, #1 Merrimack 5
#3 Stonehill 1, #2 Adelphi 5
Sunday, April 27 – Championship
2 Adelphi at 1 Merrimack - 1:00 p.m.
How it Happened
Southern New Hampshire claimed two of the three doubles matches to grasp a 2-1 lead in the match.
Merrimack's junior Chealsey Giatrelis (Centerville, Mass.) and senior Kara Hole(Portsmouth, R.I.) upended Jamie Hann and Kirsten Jean, 8-0, in No. 2 doubles.
Diana Vamvakitis and Sarah Schollgen outlasted G. Messina and junior Shakee Messina (Caracas, Venezuela), 8-4, at No. 1 doubles while Yolanda Green and Allison Valentine defeated junior Rachel Muller (North Andover, Mass.) and Barnes, 8-5.
The Warriors finished strong in singles action, taking four of the five matches to clinch a trip to the Northeast-10 Championship final.
Hole tied the match at two with her 6-3, 6-1 win over Kirsten Jean at No. 4 while S. Messina posted a 6-1, 6-1 win at No. 3 over Jamie Hann. However, SNHU's Sarah Schollgen tied the match up at three after she defeated Giatrelis in No. 2 singles, 6-4, 6-1.
Barnes came through in the sixth set with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Allison Valentine. G. Messina clinched the match with her 6-3, 7-5 win at No. 1 singles.
Results
Doubles
1. Diana Vamvakitis/Sarah Schollgen (SNH) def. Grace Messina/Shakee Messina (MER) 8-4
2. Chealsey Giatrelis/Kara Hole (MER) def. Jamie Hann/Kirsten Jean (SNH) 8-0
3. Yolanda Green/Allison Valentine (SNH) def. Rachel Muller/Alyx Barnes (MER) 8-5
Singles
1. Grace Messina (MER) def. Diana Vamvakitis (SNH) 6-3, 7-5
2. Sarah Schollgen (SNH) def. Chealsey Giatrelis (MER) 6-4, 6-1
3. Shakee Messina (MER) def. Jamie Hann (SNH) 6-1, 6-1
4. Kara Hole (MER) def. Kirsten Jean (SNH) 6-3, 6-1
5. Yolanda Green (SNH) vs. Rachel Muller (MER) no result
6. Alyx Barnes (MER) def. Allison Valentine (SNH) 7-5, 6-3
What they Said
"This was an extremely important match for us against one of the top teams in the conference," said head coach Peter Arsenault. "I was really pleased with our effort and how we battled all day."
Up Next
The Warriors return to action on Sunday, April 29th, when they host second seeded Adelphi University at North Andover High School in the Northeast-10 Championship finals. First match is scheduled 1 p.m.
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