Women’s Tennis Claims First Win vs. SNHU since 2014, 4-3, Behind Seifaei’s Match-Clincher

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass.. – After conceding the doubles point to start the day, the Merrimack College women's tennis program bested visiting Southern New Hampshire in four of the six singles tilts to claim a 4-3 Northeast-10 Conference victory over the Penmen from North Andover High School on Saturday afternoon. Senior captain Mana Seifaei clinched the match at the first flight (6-2, 7-5), topping SNHU's top option in straight sets to give the Warriors their first win over their local rivals since 2013-14.

The Basics
Score: Merrimack 4, SNHU 3
Records: Merrimack (1-1, 1-0 NE10) | SNHU (1-2, 0-1 NE10)
Location: North Andover, Mass. | North Andover High School

Results
Doubles
 

1. Anna Sala/Sofia Morais (SNH) def. Mana Seifaei/Kristina Calistro (MER) 6-2

2. Alexxa Etienne/Rachel Wagner (SNH) def. Rosemary Campanella/Cassie Restrepo (MER) 6-2

3. Mia Briggs/Lauren Persson (MER) def. Elizabeth Dwyer/Phebe Hall (SNH) 6-2

Singles

1. Mana Seifaei (MER) def. Anna Sala (SNH) 6-2, 7-5

2. Sofia Morais (SNH) def. Lauren Persson (MER) 6-3, 6-0

3. Alexxa Etienne (SNH) def. Cassie Restrepo (MER) 6-7 (4-7), 7-5, 10-6

4. Kristina Calistro (MER) def. Rachel Wagner (SNH) 6-2, 6-1

5. Rosemary Campanella (MER) def. Elizabeth Dwyer (SNH) 6-3, 6-2

6. Hope Salts (MER) def. Abbey Killiam (SNH) 6-0, 6-1

 
Rapid Recap

• The visiting Penmen won the first two doubles flights by the same score (6-2) to claim the overall point, but junior Mia Briggs and senior Lauren Persson secured a 6-2 win at the third flight in their first dual match together as a pairing
• Merrimack saw a trio of freshmen get the Warriors back into the match. At fourth singles, freshman Kristina Calistro made quick work of her opponent, 6-2 and 6-1, to get one point back. Classmate Rosemary Campanella nearly mirrored her teammate at the fifth flight (6-3, 6-2) to improve both their singles records to 2-0 this year
• After not playing in Merrimack's singles lineup against NYIT, freshman Hope Salts made her collegiate debut at No. 6 against the Penmen. The Temecula, Calif. native delivered a near-perfect effort, falling in just one game (6-1, 6-0)
• Seifaei had lost to SNHU's Anna Sala twice last season entering 2018-19, but she erased all memory of those defeats. The North York, Ontario native dominated her opener (6-2) before a hard-fought 7-5 second set when in favor of the team captain

Notes and Notables

• The Warriors' last victory over the Penmen came in the 2013-14 campaign. Merrimack bested SNHU twice that season en route to the 2014 NE10 Championship

Up Next
The Warriors return to North Andover High School tomorrow morning when Merrimack hosts American International College at 11 a.m.