SPRINGFIELD, MASS., September 17, 2008 – The Springfield College womenÂ's tennis team picked up its first win of the season as it cruised past cross-town rival Western New England College, 9-0, on Wednesday afternoon in non-conference action at Springfield’s Appleton Courts.
With the win, Springfield is now 1-1, while WNEC falls to 0-4.
Springfield won all three doubles matches, and then won five of the six singles matches in straight sets. Leading the charge for the Pride were sophomore Amy Shaw (Walpole, Mass.) at No. 1 singles, and senior captain Melissa Weinstein (Allentown, Pa.) at No. 2 singles. Shaw was a 6-4, 6-0 winner over the Golden Bears’ junior Kristen Ayers (Acton, Mass.). After being down 3-0 in the first set, Shaw won 12 of the last 13 games of the match. Weinstein defeated freshman Nicole DeSimone (Feeding Hills, Mass.), 6-0, 6-4.
In singles play, WNEC senior Nicole Freed (Jersey Shore, Pa.) put up the best fight by splitting her first two sets with junior Rachel Kushma (London, England) at No. 3. But Kushma wound up winning the super tie-breaker, 11-9, to capture that match.
Other singles winners for Springfield included junior Funmi Olowookere (Woonsocket, R.I.) at No. 4, sophomore Kyla Walgren (West Hartford, Conn.) at No. 5, and sophomore Talya Pessolano (Springfield, Mass.) at No. 6.
In doubles, played earlier, Shaw and Weinstein combined to win at No. 1, while Kushma and Pessalano were winners at No. 2, and Olowookere and Walgren combined to win at No. 3.
The Pride will next play on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 20) when it welcomes conference-foe Wheaton at 1 pm.
Doubles were played first
Singles
1) Amy Shaw (S) def. Kristen Ayers (WNEC), 6-4, 6-0
2) Melissa Weinstein (S) def. Nicole DeSimone (WNEC), 6-0, 6-4
3) Rachel Kushma (S) def. Nicole Freed (WNEC), 4-6, 6-0, (11-9)
4) Funmi Olowookere (S) def. Jess Haffner (WNEC), 6-3, 6-1
5) Kyla Walgren (S) def. Colleen Swan (WNEC), 6-0, 6-4
6) Talya Pessolano (S) def. Tori Pratt (WNEC), 6-1, 6-4
Doubles
1) Shaw/Weinstein (S) def. Ayers/DeSimone (WNEC), 8-3
2) Kushma/Pessolano (S) def. Freed/Haffner (WNEC), 8-4
3) Olowookere/Walgren (S) def. Ashley Czelatka/Kelly Mumane (WNEC), 8-1
Records
Springfield — 1-1
WNEC — 0-4
