Women's Tennis Falters, 6-3, vs. Stonehill Tuesday
Links: Box Score
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – In a rematch of last year's Northeast-10 Final, the Merrimack College women's tennis team could not avenge its loss in the 2014 championship match as the Stonehill Skyhawks defeated the Warriors, 6-3, on Tuesday evening from North Andover High School. Merrimack falls to 4-2 (3-2 NE-10), while Stonehill improves to 3-1 (2-1 NE-10)
The Basics
Score: Merrimack 3 | Stonehill 6
Records: Merrimack (4-2, 3-2 NE-10) | Stonehill (3-1, 2-1 NE-10)
Location: North Andover High School | North Andover, Mass.
How It Happened
For the first time this season, captains Grace Messina (Caracas, Venezuela) and Chealsey Giatrelis (Centerville, Mass.) did not pair together at No. 1 as Giatrelis slid down to second doubles. Messina joined with freshman Mana Seifaei (North York, Ontario) in her debut at No. 1, as the Navy and Gold prevailed, 8-2.
Freshman Lauren Persson (Barnstable, Mass.) combined with Giatrelis to compete at No. 2, where a back-and-forth match unfolded. Tied after 16 games (8-8), the Skyhawks combo of Victoria Barbetta and Analise Kump got the better of Giatrelis/Persson, 7-5, in the tiebreak to win the contest. Sophomores Mackenzie Blair (Thomaston, Conn.) and Danielle Dunn (Middleton, Mass.) faltered at No. 3, 8-2, allowing the Skyhawks to lead entering singles.
Messina took care of Bailey Paradiso, 6-1 and 6-1, at No. 1 to preserve her undefeated record on the season and extend her conference singles winning streak to 28 matches. Seifaei also won at No. 4, as her opponent retired in the opening set.
The comeback ended there for the Navy Gold as the Warriors lost three singles contests in straights sets. Giatrelis suffered her first singles defeat of the year, dropping her match to Kump. Due to lack of daylight, the third set was a 10-point tiebreak in lieu of a full set, with Kump winning 10-8.
Results
Doubles
1. Grace Messina/Mana Seifaei (MER) def. Bailey Paradiso / Emma Prinos (STO) 8-3
2. Victoria Barbetta / Analise Kump (STO) def. Chealsey Giatrelis / Lauren Persson (MER) 9-8 (7-5)
3. Kirsti Toegemann / Nicole Downey (STO) def. Mackenzie Blair/Danielle Dunn (MER) 8-2
Singles
1. Grace Messina (MER) def. Bailey Paradiso (STO) 6-1, 6-1
2. Analise Kump (STO) def. Chealsey Giatrelis (MER) 6-2, 4-6, 10-8
3. Kirsti Toegemann (STO) def. Lauren Persson (MER) 6-2, 6-2
4. Victoria Barbetta (STO) def. Danielle Dunn (MER) 6-2, 6-0
5. Mana Seifaei (MER) def. Lorraine Smith (STO) retired
6. Emma Prinos (STO) def. Mackenzie Blair (MER) 6-1, 6-0
Up Next
The Navy and Gold travel to Philadelphia, Pa. this weekend for the Intercollegiate Tennis Assocaition (ITA) East Regional Championship. The tournament begins on Saturday at the Legacy Tennis Center at 9 a.m.
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