FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Third-seeded Simmons College and fourth-seeded Suffolk University both advanced to this weekend's 2017 GNAC Women's Tennis Tournament semifinals with first-round victories on Wednesday, as Simmons blanked sixth-seeded Albertus Magnus, 5-0, and Suffolk took down fifth-seeded University of Saint Joseph (Conn.), 5-1.
Top-seeded Johnson & Wales University will take on Suffolk at 2:00 PM in the first of two semifinals on Satuday afternoon. Simmons will take on second-seeded Regis (Mass.) in the other semi at approximately 4:30 PM. Both matches will take place at the Winchester Indoor Tennis Center in Winchester, Mass. Two levels of spectator viewing will be available for fans.
The winner's of Saturday's semi will match up on Sunday afternoon (12:30 PM), again at Winchester, to determine the 2017 GNAC Championship.
#3 SIMMONS 5, #6 ALBERTUS 1
BOSTON, Mass. – Senior Olivia Lakes (Dorchester, Mass.) and junior Paola Rios (Miami, Fla.) each won a pair of matches to lead the third-seeded Simmons College women's tennis team over visiting number six seed Albertus Magnus College, 5-0, this afternoon in the first round of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Championship Tournament on Daly Courts in Brighton, Mass. The contest was played to decision as the Sharks improve to 10-5 on the season to mark the 15th year they have reached double-digit wins in the last 16 campaigns. The Falcons fall to 7-8.
Simmons advances to the GNAC Semifinals for the 15th straight year.
Lakes combined with junior Michelle Medici (South Portland, Maine) at third doubles for an 8-0 win over the Albertus Magnus duo of sophomore Nallely Magana (East Haven, Conn.) and first year Lakhena Rath (Danbury, Conn.) to put the Sharks on the board. The sophomore pair of Nickie Nguyen (Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam/Saint Joseph Preparatory (Mass.))and Marissa Johnson(Norwell, Mass.) dropped just one game in an 8-1 pro-set victory at first doubles over the Falcons' junior combo of Alicia Weaver (Bethel, Conn.) and Izzy Sabino (Cheshire, Conn.). Rios combined with first year Celia Speth (Deerfield, Mass.) to post an 8-6 triumph at second doubles over the Albertus Magnus tandem of senior Kelsea Wildman (Hamden, Conn.) and first year Jessica Coughlin (Durham, Conn.) and give Simmons a 3-0 lead after doubles play.
Rios increased the Sharks' margin to 4-0, following a 6-0, 6-0 singles win on court five over Magana, to improve her singles mark to 9-3 on the season. Lakes clinched the dual match victory for Simmons after a 6-1, 6-2 straight set win at sixth singles over sophomore Paige Williams (Orange County, Va.).
Courtesy of Simmons Athletics Communications
#4 SUFFOLK 5, #5 USJ 0
NORTH READING, Mass. – The fourth-seeded Suffolk women's tennis team punched its ticket to the GNAC semifinals Wednesday night with a 5-1 victory over No. 5 St. Joseph (Conn.) at North Reading High School.
THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 5, St. Joseph (Conn.) 1
RECORDS: Suffolk (8-6) | St. Joseph (5-7)
HOW IT HAPPENDED
Suffolk took a 2-1 match lead after doubles action as the Rams secured wins on courts two and three to open action, but dropped a super tiebreaker in the top spot.
Delaney Dunlap and Keely Hardy put the blue-and-gold on the board thanks to an 8-1 win over Ashley Savino and Catherine Baum in the second slot. Ahilya Malhoutra and Danlyn Medou (pictured) teamed up for an 8-3 victory at No. 3 over Dominique Carnot and Emily McAllister, but Isabel Rathlev and Elena Cisneros Garcia could not hold off Lucy Roberge and Leah Nguyen on the first court, falling 9-8(7-3).
Dunlap pushed Suffolk's advantage to 3-1 thanks to a 6-1, 6-0 triumph on the top court over Roberge. From there, Malhoutra took down Baum, 6-0, 6-3, in the fourth position and Medou sealed the victory with a 6-1, 6-2 decision over Carnot on court five.
NOTEWORTHY
- Suffolk advances to the semifinals for the fifth consecutive campaign and seventh time overall.
- The Rams remain undefeated versus the Blue Jays since 2007 with their 12 consecutive win over USJ.
Courtesy of Suffolk Athletics Communications.
Wednesday, October 18 - First Round
Match 1: #3 Simmons 5, #6 Albertus Magnus 0 | 4:30 PM @ Daly Field | BOX
Match 2:#4 Suffolk 5, #5 Saint Joseph (CT) 1 | 4:30 PM @ North Reading HS | BOX
Saturday, October 21 - Semifinals (Winchester Indoor Tennis Center)
Match 3: #4 Suffolk vs. #1 JWU - 2PM
Match 4:#3 Simmons #2 Regis (Mass.) - 4:30PM
Sunday, October 22 - Championship (Winchester Indoor Tennis Center)
Match 5: Match 3 winner vs Match 4 winner - 12:30 PM
Founded in 1995, the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 13 member institutions and over 3,000 student-athletes across the New England region. Each year, the GNAC sponsors and administers 20 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunities and community involvement.
– #TheGNAC –