Hawks end Seahawks' bid for 14th championship

BRISTOL, R.I. - A late rally in singles play helped the Roger Williams University women's tennis team advance to the TCCC Championship match, as the second-seeded Hawks defeated third-seeded Salve Regina University Wednesday afternoon by a 5-3 score.

Roger Williams found itself down 2-1 at the end of doubles play before coming back to take four of the six singles matches to get the win and move to the TCCC Championship match for the first time since 2007.

Salve Regina's first point came at #3 doubles, with Elise Jones (Pittsfield, Mass.) and Jessica Moore (Middletown, R.I.) getting an 8-6 win over Alexandra Reilly (North Easton, Mass.) and Caitlin Osepchuk (Ocean Grove, N.J.), with Osepchuk making her season debut for the Hawks. The Hawks tied the match at one apiece with Tracy Klein (New City, N.Y.) and Amanda Wolfe (Mansfield, Mass.) defeating Nichol Stevens (Chester, Conn.) and Valerie Leso (West Warwick, R.I.) 8-5 at #2. Yet the Seahawks won the remaining doubles match by the same score, with Ana Gwozdz (Taunton, Mass.) and Erin Phillips (Morristown, N.J.) beating Samantha Curran (Cumberland, R.I.) and Leah Ribchinsky (Ivoryton, Conn.) at #1.

Trailing by one, Libby Magner (Lakefield, Mass.) earned the tying point for Roger Williams with a 6-3,6-0 decision at #6 singles over Danielle Derrico (Pomfret Center, Conn.). Kristin Dono (West Boylston, Mass.) would give then give the Hawks a 3-2 lead by taking her #5 match 6-3, 6-4 over Leso. The Seahawks came back to tie the match at three apiece on Phillips''6-4, 6-4 win over Curran at #1.

Wolfe helped Roger Williams regain the lead with a crucial 6-2,7-5 win at #4 before Klein punched the Hawks' ticket back to the TCCC Championship with a hard-fought 6-0,1-6,6-3 victory at #2 over Stevens. Ribchinsky held a 6-1,1-6,5-1 lead at #3 over Gwozdz at the time of the win.

"We competed, came within a set at two singles position, but could not finish off the upset," said Salve Regina head coach Ed Habershaw. "In the end, we were unable to beat two teams (Roger Williams and Nichols) and they're in the finals together this weekend.

Roger Williams (12-4) will travel Saturday for a 1 p.m. match to take on top-seeded Nichols College, who defeated the #5 seed Colby-Sawyer College 5-0 earlier today. Salve Regina closes out the season with a record of 10-3.

Courtesy of Roger Williams sports information