Flash Points:
- SFU Women's Tennis earned its fourth straight win with a 5-2 victory at Sacred Heart on Friday.
- The Red Flash improved to 7-8 overall and 3-0 in NEC play, while SHU dropped to 3-6 overall and 1-1 in the NEC.
- SFU dropped the doubles point, but answered by winning all five singles matches it played.
FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Saint Francis Women's Tennis Team won its fourth straight match with a 5-2 victory at Sacred Heart on Friday. The Red Flash dropped the doubles points, but won all five singles matches it played. SFU improved to 7-8 overall and 3-0 in the NEC. The Pioneers dropped to 3-6 overall and 1-1 in conference play.
"It's great to get another conference win," said Head Coach
Rob Castille. "Sacred Heart was picked fourth this year, so we knew we had to compete well today."
At No. 2 doubles, sophomore
Raksha Bode (Reunion, Fla./Florida Virtual School) and freshman
Lucia Seigford (Madrid, Spain/Mirasur) met the Pioneers' Brianne Lauria and Claudia Ruiz. The Red Flash duo earned a tough 7-6 win, with a 7-1 tiebreaker, for its third win this Spring.
In the match at No. 1, freshman
Laura Gutierrez (Bogota, Colombia/Cibercolegio UCN) and sophomore
Stephanie Miller (Washington, D.C./St. John's College High School) paired up against Sacred Heart's Taylor Gurda and Sabrina Navarro. The SFU pair fell 6-2.
The Pioneers won the match at No. 3 by default due to no SFU player available.
"In doubles, we are playing way too scared," said Castille. "We have to learn to loosen up and just have some fun. I think knowing we are already down a match at No. 3 doubles puts some pressure on us, but we need to learn to embrace the pressure and enjoy it."
Seigford took on SHU's Lauria at the top singles spot. The Red Flash rookie fell 6-3 in the first set, but battled back to win a tough second set, 7-6, with a 6-4 tiebreaker. In the final set, Seigford came out on top, 6-4, to improve to 8-7 this Spring.
Gutierrez faced Sacred Heart's Gurda at No. 2. The SFU freshman took the first set, 6-2. She repeated that performance in the second set for her sixth win of the Spring.
At No. 3, Miller met the Pioneers' Ruiz. The Saint Francis sophomore claimed the opening set, 6-3. Miller matched that effort in the second set to clinch the straight-set victory. She is now 10-5 this Spring.
In the match at No. 4, Bode competed against SHU's Navarro. The SFU sophomore won a quick first set, 6-1. She earned a sweep by repeating that in the second set, winning 6-1. Bode improved to 9-6 this season.
Freshman
Kathryn Dunleavy (Farmington Hills, Mich./Mercy) matched up against Sacred Heart's Maggie Glynn at No. 5. The Red Flash rookie took the first set, 6-3. She dominated the second set, winning 6-0, to move to 9-6 this Spring.
Sacred Heart won the match at No. 6 by default due to no SFU player available.
"I was pleased to see we were able to put doubles behind us and came out and won all five of the singles matches we played," said Castille. "I don't think we played our best, but credit to SHU who continued to fight in all the matches. We'll continue to work on the things we need to and be ready for our toughest conference match yet this year."
The Red Flash welcomes Fairleigh Dickinson and Duquesne for home matches next weekend. Saint Francis meets FDU on Saturday, April 1 for a 5:30 p.m. match at the Greensburg Racquet Club. On Sunday, SFU takes on Duquesne at 1 p.m. at The Club Sport and Health in Monroeville.
Doubles:
1. Gurda/Navarro(SHU) def. Gutierrez/Miller(SFU), 6-2
2. Bode/Seigford(SFU) def. Lauria/Ruiz(SHU), 7-6(1)
3. Glynn/Vassalle(SHU) win by default (No SFU Player)
Order of Finish: 3,1,2
Singles:
1. Seigford(SFU) def. Lauria(SHU), 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-4
2. Gutierrez(SFU) def. Gurda(SHU), 6-2, 6-2
3. Miller(SFU) def. Ruiz(SHU), 6-3, 6-3
4. Bode(SFU) def. Navarro(SHU), 6-1, 6-1
5. Dunleavy(SFU) def. Glynn(SHU), 6-3, 6-0
6. Vassalle(SHU) wins by default (No SFU Player)
Order of Finish: 6,2,1,3,4,5
