Hawks clinch 5-3 victory with four straight-set singles wins
NEWPORT, R.I. - No. 4 seed Salve Regina University took a 2-1 lead after doubles play in its Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) women's tennis quarterfinal with visiting No. 5 Roger Williams University, but the Hawks earned wins in four of the five completed singles matches to advance to the semifinal round after a 5-3 decision.
Salve Regina (5-5) cruised to an 8-1 win at first doubles with All-CCC freshmen tandem Lauren Harvey (Edmond, Okla.) and Makenzie Sadler (Mystic, Conn.). Roger Williams (7-5) drew even with an identical score at second doubles for juniors Taryn Roche (Greenlawn, N.Y.) and Riley Spillane (Easton, Mass.).
After taking third doubles, 9-7, with senior Anna Godshalk (Orleans, Mass.) and sophomore Erin Stangel (Old Saybrook, Conn.), the Seahawks were poised to just split the six singles for a team victory.
The Hawks earned the first two match points in singles play - freshman Tanya Gianitsos (Old Saybrook, Conn.) and sophomore Morgan Crimmins (Boston, Mass.) won with 6-1,6-1 scores at sixth and fifth singles, respectively - to take a 3-2 lead. Harvey tied the score with her straight-set triumph at first singles (6-1,6-3).
With three matches remaining on court, whoever won two would take the match. Roger Williams had won the first set in all but first singles. At second singles, Roche rallied from down 5-1 in the first to win 10 straight games. She put the Hawks back on top, 4-3, with her 7-5,6-2 victory.
Spillane trailed 4-3 in her first set before rattling off six straight games. Abigail Burke (Harwich, Mass.) broke and held serve to pull within one in the second set, but Spillane clinched the final three games for the final point.
Salve Regina sophomore Laura Krick (Groton, Conn.) took her second set, 6-3, after dropping the first, and carried momentum into the third before play was halted following Spillane's win.
The Hawks will play in the conference semifinal next Tuesday, Oct. 16, against top seeded Nichols College.
