Women's Tennis Secures Spot in NE-10 Tournament with 8-1 Win vs. Bentley
Links: Box Score
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – Outside of one blemish during singles play, the Merrimack College women's tennis team did not drop a match against the visiting Bentley Falcons on Thursday afternoon as the Warriors defeated the Falcons, 8-1. With the win, the Navy and Gold locked up a berth in the Northeast-10 Conference Championship for the third straight year.
The Basics
Score: Merrimack 8, Bentley 1
Records: Merrimack (10-3, 8-3 NE-10) | Bentley (6-6, 6-5 NE-10)
Location: North Andover High School | North Andover, Mass.
How It Happened
Merrimack trotted out the identical lineup to the group that defeated Assumption on Wednesday. Junior Grace Messina (Caracas, Venezuela) and freshman Mana Seifaei (North York, Ontario) won by two points, 8-6, to begin the match at No. 1. Senior Chealsey Giatrelis (Centerville, Mass.) and sophomore Danielle Dunn (Middleton, Mass.) repeated their success Wednesday with an 8-6 victory at second doubles.
The rookie tandem of Lauren Persson (Barnstable, Mass.) and Celine Mende (Shrewsbury, Mass.) played together for the second time in as many days, winning their first match as a duo, 8-4, at No. 3.
Merrimack swept No. 1-5 during singles. At the first three spots, the Warriors won in straight sets. Messina remains undefeated at No. 1 this season as she extends her winning streak to 34 matches during the regular season in league play.
Both matches at fourth and fifth singles went the distance. Persson rebounded for a second set loss to win a prolonged third set, 13-11. Dunn faced a similar predicament at No. 5 as she lost the middle set, but won final frame, 10-7, to take the match.
With the win, Merrimack will play in the NE-10 Championship for the third straight year. The Warriors aim for a berth in the NE-10 Final for the third time in as many tries.
Northeast-10 Postseason Outlook
The top-six programs qualify for the NE-10 Championship with the top-two seeds receiving byes to the semifinals; If the Warriors finish the season in third or fourth, they will host a NE-10 First Round matchup on Wednesday, Oct. 21.
1. Adelphi (10-0)
2. Stonehill (8-1)
3. Southern New Hampshire (7-1)
4. Assumption (7-2)
5. Merrimack (8-3)
6. Le Moyne (6-4)
7. Bentley (6-5)
8. Saint Anselm (5-5)
9. Saint Michael's (3-7)
10. Saint Rose (1-8)
11. New Haven (1-9)
12. Franklin Pierce (1-9)
13. American Int'l (1-10)
Results
Doubles
1. Grace Messina / Mana Seifaei (MER) def. Ludmila Yamus / Rachel Petrini (BEN) 8-6
2. Danielle Dunn / Chealsey Giatrelis (MER) def. Catherine Gianino / Brittany Hetyei (BEN) 8-6
3. Celine Mende / Lauren Persson (MER) def. Olivia von Oldenburg / Lexie Hinrichs (BEN) 8-4
Singles
1. Grace Messina (MER) def. Ludmila Yamus (BEN) 6-2, 6-1
2. Chealsey Giatrelis (MER) def. Catherine Gianino (BEN) 6-2, 6-2
3. Mana Seifaei (MER) def. Brittany Hetyei (BEN) 6-3, 6-4
4. Lauren Persson (MER) def. Hannah Fabianski (BEN) 6-4, 3-6, 13-11
5. Danielle Dunn (MER) def. Alexia Petruzziello (BEN) 6-4, 4-6, 10-7
6. Susan Stowe (BEN) def. Celine Mende (MER) 6-1, 6-1
Up Next
The Warriors play their final two matches of the regular season in New York, beginning on Saturday at noon against Roberts Wesleyan in non-conference action.
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