Salve Regina defeats Curry, 8-1

NEWPORT, R.I. - Salve Regina's Abigail Burke (Harwich, Mass.) and Anna Godshalk (Orleans, Mass.), who met for the first time in pre-season last month even though they live two minutes from each other, paired for an 8-0 victory at third doubles in their first collegiate women's tennis action. The Seahawks defeated the visiting Colonels of Curry College, 8-1, in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) matchup at the Antone Academic Center tennis courts.

Taylor Amendola (Westbrook, Conn.) and Emma Gruber (New Canaan, Conn.) outlasted fellow Nutmeg State residents Kimberly Love (Windsor Locks, Conn.) and Kayla Prete (Orange, Conn.), 9-7, at first doubles, to give Salve Regina (3-5, 3-3 CCC) a 2-1 lead heading into singles play.

Seahawk senior captain Julie Grant (Warwick, R.I.) quickly won her only match of the day (6-0, 6-0) at sixth singles, followed by Abigail Packard (Dudley, Mass.) at fifth singles. At third singles, Caroline Rodman (Southington, Conn.) clinched the victory for the Seahawks with her straight-set win.

Courtney Bailey (No. Dartmouth, Mass.) won her match at fourth singles over a friend from near her hometown, Katelyn Harrington (Westport, Mass.). Kasey Walther (Natick, Mass.) earned a hard-fought 6-3 score in her first set at first singles before cruising to a 6-0 second set decision.

Gruber earned her second point of the day after surviving a second-set tiebreak (7-5) with Love at second singles.

Hannah Erickson (Mount Desert, Maine) paired with Harrington for the lone Curry point at second doubles, winning 8-3.

Gruber, Rodman, and Walther will compete in the ITA regionals this weekend hosted by Middlebury College. The Seahawks return to conference action next Wednesday, September 30, when they travel to Nichols College. The Colonels (2-6, 0-5 CCC) host Mount Ida on Friday and Wentworth on Saturday before returning to the Ocean State on Monday to play at Rhode Island College.