#35 Babson opens with sweep at Salve Regina
NEWPORT, R.I. - Facing a nationally-ranked team for the first time in a dual match, Salve Regina University women's tennis opened its 2015-16 season with a non-league loss to #35 Babson College. The Beavers won, 9-0, while dropping just eight games in 15 sets.
Babson (1-0) won all three doubles with Salve Regina (0-1) taking one game at the first position. Senior Tori Paolino (East Orleans, Mass.) and junior Dina Weick (Woodbridge, Conn.), the only two representatives in their respective classes on the Beaver squad, earned an 8-1 decision over Salve Regina's Emma Gruber (New Canaan, Conn.) and Kasey Walther (Natick, Mass.).
Sophomore Yagmur Akgul (Istanbul, Turkey) and freshman Chloe Brandt (Denver, Colo.) enjoyed an 8-0 victory at second doubles before freshman Eleni Gianelos (West Chester, Pa.) and sophomore Kylie Kam (Honolulu, Hawaii) won by the same score at third doubles.
Taylor Amendola (Westbrook, Conn.) and Cristina Marsocci (North Scituate, R.I.) saw doubles action for the Seahawks at second and third, respectively.
Making their Seahawk debuts were freshmen Caroline Rodman (Southington, Conn.) - at second doubles and third singles - and Abigail Packard (Dudley, Mass.) - at fifth singles. Neither first-year player was able to score a game in her respective match, but loved the challenge.
"My opponent did a great job coming to the net and then hitting a number of drop volleys," said Packard. "I know I need to do a better job with my lobs to get her to retreat."
Salve Regina head coach Cory Tusler, in his third season with the Seahawks, did not get dismayed about scheduling the nationally-ranked Beavers. "Today's match was very tough, we need to play more matches like this," said Tusler. "I am hoping that our players will come out of this feel that they can complete against anyone."
In the previous two seasons, Babson had been 24-3 when leading after doubles. The Beavers added to that win total after sweeping through the singles against the Seahawks. Senior captain Julie Grant (Warwick, R.I.) competed at sixth singles for Salve Regina.
Akgul, Gianelos, Paolino, Weick, and Kam added singles wins to their doubles triumphs while Claire Foster (Orange, Conn.) earned a 6-0,6-0 victory at fifth singles for Babson.
Babson returns home for a match with defending Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) champion Endicott College (3 p.m. Wednesday) while Salve Regina gets back on the hard courts hosting Rhode Island College (3:30 p.m. - Thursday).