HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – The Saint Francis women's tennis team split its doubleheader on Saturday to close out the regular season.  The Red Flash defeated NEC foe St. Francis Brooklyn, 7-0, but fell 5-2 against Hofstra.  SFU swept the singles and doubles action against the Terriers, not dropping a single set. SFU lost the doubles point against Hofstra, but won two singles matches.  The Red Flash finished the regular season with a 6-14 record, including 3-0 in the NEC.
 
At the top doubles spot, senior Rafaela Panizza (Jundiai, Brazil) and junior Brittany Plaszewski (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North) paired up.  The SFU duo defeated St. Francis Brooklyn's Dezhane Bennett and Rebecca Mares, 6-0, but dropped a 6-1 result to Hofstra's Sarah Bowen and Carmen Pestano.  The duo has seven wins this spring at No. 1.
 
Freshman Raksha Bode (Reunion, Fla./Florida Virtual School) and senior Dani Gryckiewicz (Calgary, Alberta/Calgary Academy) combined at No. 2.  The Red Flash pair swept their matches, knocking off the Terriers' Jennifer Gonzalez and Vanja Savic, 6-1, and the Pride's Sarah Catherine Herndon and Michal Kaplan, 6-1. They finished the spring with seven wins.
 
Junior Brittini Jentz (Plano, Texas/Ursuline Academy of Dallas) and freshman Stephanie Miller (Washington, D.C./St. John's College High School) lined up at No. 3 with a 1-1 day.  Jentz and Miller earned a 6-0 victory against SFBK's Dragana Dzigurski and Maery Fornolles, but fell 6-2 against HU's Giulia Leone and Disha Yellayi.  The SFU duo finished the spring with a 6-6 mark.
 
Panizza picked up two wins at the top singles spot on Saturday.  The SFU senior claimed a 6-1, 6-0 victory over St. Francis Brooklyn's Savic and a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win over Hofstra's Bowen.  Panizza earned her fourth and fifth wins of the spring at No. 1.
 
At No. 2, Plaszewski also had a successful day, earning two wins.  She knocked off SFBK's Bennett, 6-0, 6-0, in the first match.  She then defeated HU's Kaplan, 7-5, 6-3, for her seventh win of the spring.
 
Bode split two matches at No. 3.  The Red Flash rookie took the first match, 6-0, 6-0, against the Terriers' Gonzalez, but dropped a 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 result to the Pride's Herndon.
 
In the fourth spot, Jentz lined up against St. Francis Brooklyn's Dzigurski and Hofstra's Pestano.  The SFU junior dominated the first match, winning 6-0, 6-0, but fell 6-3, 6-3 later in the day.
 
Miller competed at No. 5 against SFBK's Mares and HU's Yellayi.  The SFU freshman picked up a 6-1, 6-0 victory in the first matchup, but dropped a 6-4, 6-0 decision in the second.
 
At No. 6, Gryckiewicz also split two matches.  She defeated the Terriers' Fornolles, 6-0, 6-0, but fell 6-3, 4-6, 1-0(1) to the Pride's Leone.
 
The Red Flash competes in the NEC Championships this week.  The tournament begins on Friday at the Mercer County Tennis Center in West Windsor, N.J.
 
 
Saint Francis 7, St. Francis Brooklyn 0
Doubles:
1. Panizza/Plaszewski(SFU) def. Bennett/Mares(SFBK), 6-0.
2. Bode/Gryckiewicz(SFU) def. Gonzalez/Savic(SFBK), 6-1.
3. Jentz/Miller(SFU) def. Dzigurski/Fornolles(SFBK), 6-0.
 
Singles:
1. Panizza(SFU) def. Savic(SFBK), 6-1, 6-0.
2. Plaszewski(SFU) def. Bennett(SFBK), 6-0, 6-0.
3. Bode(SFU) def. Gonzalez(SFBK), 6-0, 6-0.
4. Jentz(SFU) def. Dzigurski(SFBK), 6-0, 6-0.
5. Miller(SFU) def. Mares(SFBK), 6-1, 6-0.
6. Gryckiewicz(SFU) def. Fornolles(SFBK), 6-0, 6-0.
 
Saint Francis 2, Hofstra 5
Doubles:
1. Bowen/Pestano(HU)) def. Panizza/Plaszewski(SFU), 6-1.
2. Bode/Gryckiewicz(SFU) def. Herndon/Kaplan(HU), 6-1.
3. Leone/Yellayi(HU) def. Jentz/Miller(SFU), 6-2.
 
Singles:
1. Panizza(SFU) def. Bowen(HU), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.
2. Plaszewski(SFU) def. Kaplan(HU), 7-5, 6-3.
3. Herndon(HU) def. Bode(SFU), 4-6, 7-5, 6-4.
4. Pestano(HU) def. Jentz(SFU), 6-3, 6-3.
5. Yellayi(HU) def. Miller(SFU), 6-4, 6-0.
6. Leone(HU) def. Gryckiewicz(SFU), 6-3, 3-6, 1-0(1).