Seahawks blank Golden Bears, 9-0

NEWPORT, R.I. - Salve Regina University women's tennis won its first match of the season in a big way, winning all nine individual matches, for a 9-0 score in a Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) match with Western New England University.

The Seahawks take a 5-4 edge in the all-time series, having won the last two meetings in Newport.

"The Seahawks came to play today," said head coach Cory Tusler. "We worked through some play issues, ball placement and shot selection."

Tusler had to adjust his lineup with first-year Gina Ciliberti (West Islip, N.Y.) unavailable due to illness. Ciliberti's doubles partner through the first two matches of the season, classmate Emma Gruber (New Canaan, Conn.), stepped up to join sophomore Kasey Walther (Natick, Mass.) at first doubles. The new pair enjoyed an 8-3 victory over Golden Bears freshmen duo of Caleigh Curran (Guilford, Conn.) and Joeanna Glantz (Agawam, Mass.).

Senior captain Elizabeth Liguori (Westerly, R.I.) and freshman Taylor Amendola (Westbrook, Conn.) also moved up in the lineup and scored an 8-2 victory over Linda Mustafa (Chicopee, Mass.) and Kelsey Grode (Fairview, Pa.).

Salve Regina completed the doubles sweep with junior pair Elizabeth DiFilippo (West Chester, Pa.) and Meg Olson (Colchester, Vt.) taking an 8-2 victory at third doubles.

Walther made quick work at first singles for her first singles victory of the season. Amendola added the clinching point with her straight-set singles victory.

Liguori and DiFilippo played on adjacent courts to the cheers of "Let's go, Elizabeth!" and both won singles matches in straight sets.

Sophomore Lindsey Macedo (Berkley, Mass.) went three sets to finish her triumph at sixth singles while Gruber finished the day with a second-set tiebreak to win over Mustafa.

Salve Regina travels Tuesday to play at Harvard against CCC foe Wentworth Institute of Technology. The Leopards are coached by former Seahawk number one singles and doubles player, Erin Phillips. Phillips, a CCC Player of the Year in women's basketball (2010-11), also serves as assistant coach with the Wentworth women's basketball squad.

Tennis Match Results
Western New Eng. vs Salve Regina
09/07/13 at Newport, R.I.
(Leroy Avenue courts)

Salve Regina 9, Western New Eng. 0

 Singles competition 
1. Kasey Walther (SRU) def. Caleigh Curran (WNE) 6-0, 6-0
2. Emma Gruber (SRU) def. Linda Mustafa (WNE) 6-4, 7-6 (7-3)
3. Elizabeth DiFilippo (SRU) def. Joeanna Glantz (WNE) 6-4, 6-2
4. Elizabeth Liguori (SRU) def. Lindsey Brudvig (WNE) 6-0, 6-3
5. Taylor Amendola (SRU) def. Kelly Byrnes (WNE) 6-1, 6-4
6. Lindsey Macedo (SRU) def. Corey St. Louis (WNE) 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 (10-5)

 Doubles competition 
1. Emma Gruber/Kasey Walther (SRU) def. Caleigh Curran/Joeanna Glantz (WNE) 8-3
2. Taylor Amendola/Elizabeth Liguori (SRU) def. Kelsey Grode/Linda Mustafa (WNE) 8-2
3. Elizabeth DiFilippo/Meg Olson (SRU) def. Lindsey Brudvig/Ashley Lauricella (WNE) 8-2

Match Notes:
Western New Eng. 1-1; 0-1 CCC
Salve Regina 1-2; 1-1 CCC
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (1,4,5,3,6,2)
Official: Paul Cienki  T-3:04  A-40