Seahawks double up Leopards, 6-3

BOSTON, Mass. - Salve Regina University women's tennis spoiled a reunion for its former No. 1 singles player, Erin Phillips, who now serves as head coach for the Wentworth Institute of Technology program. The Seahawks defeated the Leopards, 6-3, at the Beren Tennis Center on the Harvard University campus in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) action.

The win for Salve Regina (3-5; 3-3 CCC) snaps a three-match skid and clinches a spot in the playoffs which begin next week.

Salve Regina earned its first point of the day when senior Elizabeth Liguori (Westerly, R.I.) teamed with junior Elizabeth DiFilippo (West Chester, Pa.) to take an 8-5 decision at number three dobles over the Leopards' tandem of senior Olivia Hegner (Medford, Mass.) and junior Val Maccarone (Cranston, R.I.). The Leopards evened the match at a point apiece as the number one team of sophomore Caitlin Corcoran (Brockton, Mass.) and junior Virginia Ofer (Cooperstown, N.Y.) defeated freshman Gina Ciliberti (West Islip, N.Y.) and junior Hayley Maxwell (Pound Ridge, N.Y.), 8-4.

The Seahawks would take a 2-1 lead after doubles after sophomore Kasey Walther (Natick, Mass.) and freshman Emma Gruber (New Canaan, Conn.) won at number two, besting senior Deborah Massaro (Stony Point, N.Y.) and senior Nicole McColgan (Tewksbury, Mass.), 8-4.

Wentworth opened singles play by evening the match at 2-all when Corcoran earned a 6-0, 6-2 triumph at number one over Walther. However, Salve Regina got a 6-1, 6-1 win at number two from Ciliberti over Massaro and took a 4-2 lead when Liguori bested junior Marisa Page (Warwick, R.I.), 6-1, 6-0 at number five. The Seahawks clinched the match when freshman Taylor Amendola (Westbrook, Conn.) defeated Hegner, 6-3, 6-3 at number six.

Maxwell defeated Ofer, 6-2, 6-4 at number four before McColgan's 6-4, 6-2 win at number three rounded out the match.

Wentworth drops its second straight to fall to 5-6 (2-5). The Leopards host UMass Boston in their final home match of 2013 while the Seahawks are at Endicott on Wednesday.

Salve Regina 6, Wentworth 3

 Singles competition
1. Caitlin Corcoran (WIT) def. Kasey Walther (SRU) 6-0, 6-2
2. Gina Ciliberti (SRU) def. Deborah Massaro (WIT) 6-1, 6-1
3. Nicole McColgan (WIT) def. Emma Gruber (SRU) 6-4, 6-2
4. Hayley Maxwell (SRU) def. Virgina Ofer (WIT) 6-2, 6-4
5. Elizabeth Liguori (SRU) def. Marisa Page (WIT) 6-1, 6-0
6. Taylor Amendola (SRU) def. Olivia Hegner (WIT) 6-3, 6-3

 Doubles competition
1. Caitlin Corcoran/Virgina Ofer (WIT) def. Gina Ciliberti/Hayley Maxwell (SRU) 8-4
2. Kasey Walther/Emma Gruber (SRU) def. Deborah Massaro/Nicole McColgan (WIT) 8-4
3. Elizabeth Liguori/Elizabeth DiFilippo (SRU) def. Olivia Hegner/Val Maccarone (WIT) 8-5

Match Notes:
Salve Regina 3-5, 3-3 CCC
Wentworth 5-6, 2-5 CCC
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (1,2,5,6,4,3)