Liguori lights the way for Salve Regina

NEWPORT, R.I. - Salve Regina University sophomore Elizabeth Liguori (Westerly, R.I.) finished her straight-set victory at sixth singles in virtual darkness, save for two spotlights shining down from the Antone Academic Center. Liguori's win in the final match broke a 4-4 tie and gave Salve Regina women's tennis a 5-4 win over visiting Johnson & Wales University. It was the first-ever dual match meeting between the two schools in women's tennis.

The Seahawks (3-3) had taken a 2-1 lead after doubles and then a 4-1 lead with two of the singles matches going their way.

The Wildcats (1-2) had the first win of the day with Samantha Jo Borr (Westfield, N.J.) and Andrea Sultan-Campbell (Caracas, Venezuela) jumping out to a 7-0 lead over Salve Regina's freshmen pair Elizabeth DiFilippo (West Chester, Pa.) and Megan Olson (Colchester, Vt.). The Seahawk rookies rallied for two straight games before Sultan-Campbell held serve for the win.

Liguori and classmate Ana Gwozdz (Taunton, Mass.) teamed up for an 8-4 win at third doubles. Senior co-captain Nichol Stevens (Chester, Conn.) paired with junior Shannon O'Brien (Gorham, Maine) for an 8-4 score at second doubles.

O'Brien earned a straight-set singles win at fourth singles, winning six straight games in the first set after dropping the opening two. Stevens followed with a 6-2,6-2 win at first singles.

Johnson & Wales won the first set at second, third, and fifth singles. Meanwhile, Liguori labored in her first set. After holding a 5-2 edge, she found herself in a tiebreak. Darcy Predeiri (Sudbury, Ohio) took a straight-set win at fifth singles over Karlee Walther (Natick, Mass.), and Stephanie Piperis (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) did the same at third singles over Gwozdz.

DiFilippo rallied in the second set at second singles (6-4) to force a full third set. At that time, Liguori was just finishing a 9-7 score in her first-set tiebreak over Liz Sammelbraun (Evanston, Ill.). Sultan-Campbell rebounded with a strong 6-0 decision in the third set against DiFilippo to knot the score at 4-4 all.

Both Liguori and Sammelbraun held serve to 3-3 and then 4-4 as the darkness increased. Both players could see the ball better than the spectators and Liguori broke through in the 11th game for a 6-5 lead. Liguori served an ace on her first match point.

Salve Regina hosts Curry College on Wednesday while Johnson & Wales has its first home match of the season against St. Joseph (Conn.).

Tennis Match Results
Johnson & Wales vs Salve Regina
09/19/11 at Newport, R.I.
(Leroy Avenue courts)

Salve Regina 6, Johnson & Wales 3

 Singles competition
1. Nichol Stevens (SRU) def. Samantha Jo Borr (JWU) 6-2, 6-2
2. A. Sultan Campbell (JWU) def. Elizabeth DiFilippo (SRU) 6-2, 4-6, 6-0
3. Stephanie Piperis (JWU) def. Ana Gwozdz (SRU) 6-3, 6-2
4. Shannon O'Brien (SRU) def. Dana Trimborn (JWU) 6-2, 6-4
5. Darcy Predieri (JWU) def. Karlee Walther (SRU) 6-3, 6-2
6. Elizabeth Liguori (SRU) def. Liz Sammelbraun (JWU) 7-6 (9-7), 7-5

 Doubles competition
1. Samantha Jo Borr/A. Sultan Campbell (JWU) def. Elizabeth DiFilippo/Meg Olson (SRU) 8-2
2. Shannon O'Brien/Nichol Stevens (SRU) def. Stephanie Piperis/Dana Trimborn (JWU) 8-4
3. Ana Gwozdz/Elizabeth Liguori (SRU) def. Tammy Saunders/Ansley Sego (JWU) 8-4

Match Notes:
Johnson & Wales 1-2
Salve Regina 3-3
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (4,1,5,3,2,6)
Official: self-officiated