Salve Regina rebounds against Colby-Sawyer

NEWPORT, R.I. - Salve Regina University women's tennis bounced back from its first loss of the season to defeat the defending The Commonwealth Coast Conference champion Colby-Sawyer College, 7-2, in Newport today.

Freshman Jessica Moore [Middletown, R.I.] and sophomore Karlee Walther [Natick, Mass.] put the first point on the board with an 8-2 win at No. 3 doubles. Salve Regina's top doubles pair of freshman Ana Gwozdz [Taunton, Mass.] and senior Erin Phillips [Morristown, N.J.] suffered its first defeat in a dual meet when Liz Lincoln [Plymouth, Mass.] and Claire Toffey [Barnstable, Mass.] knocked them off with an 8-5 score.

"Jess and Karlee got our first doubles win against a Charger pair since 2006," remarked Seahawk head coach Ed Habershaw. "The Chargers' No. 1 pair played excellent defense and capitalized on aggressive errors we were making. Getting a point at No. 2 doubles was critical."

Salve Regina's second doubles pair, senior Valerie Leso [West Warwick, R.I.] and Nichol Stevens [Chester, Conn.], rallied from a 6-3 hole and took the critical doubles point with a 7-4 score in the tiebreak.

"I credit Coach Heckley with our comeback," said Leso. "He told us to play our game when we had been playing tentatively, and then we won four straight."

The 2-1 lead after doubles loosened the Seahawks to play solidly in singles. Walther cruised to a straight-set victory, her quickest match of the season. Moore followed with the fourth point and then Leso clinched the team decision with her 6-1,6-2 victory at No. 5 singles.

Phillips improved to 5-0 in singles play on the season with her win at the No. 1 spot. Stevens dealt Lincoln her first singles defeat of the season with a 6-3,6-3 score. Gwozdz rallied from a set down to force a third-set tiebreak for the second-straight match at No. 3 singles, but came up without a victory against Toffey who won the tiebreak, 10-6.

Salve Regina (6-1; 6-1 TCCC) returns to the courts at Gordon College on Wednesday (3:30 p.m.) while Colby-Sawyer (6-2; 5-2 TCCC) hosts Wentworth Institute of Technology in New London, N.H.