Courtesy: GNAC Communication

WEYMOUTH, Mass. - The Simmons College women’s tennis team earned the 2008 GNAC Women’s Tennis title with a 6-3 victory over Johnson & Wales University. Johnson & Wales’ No.1 doubles team of sophomore Melissa Engel (Traverse City, Mich.) and junior all-tournament selection Erienne Gale (Temecula, Calif.) earned the first points with a 8-1 win.  Simmons went into singles play leading 2-1 after the No. 2 doubles team of freshman all-tournament selection Maggie Taylor (Yarmouth, Maine) and freshman Liza Pope (West Newbury, Mass.) and the No. 3 doubles of junior Jordan Borash (Marblehead, Mass.) and freshmen Athena Lynch (Andover, Mass.) earned wins.

Taylor defeated senior Jessica Cohen (Norton, Mass.) at the No. 4 singles, 6-1, 6-0, to give the Sharks a 3-1 lead. Pope gave the Sharks a 4-1 lead at the No. 5 singles with a 6-3, 6-2 edge over senior Jessica Flammia (Clark, N.J.).

The championship was clinched with the next singles victory at the No. 2 spot when sophomore all-tournament selection Maile Macleod (Carlsbad, Calif.) defeated Gale 7-6, 6-1.

The next two singles victories went to Johnson and Wales when senior all-tournament selection Olivia Molhant (Brussels, Belgium) gave the Wildcats a 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 1 singles and Melissa Engel posted a 6-2, 7-5 win at third singles.

The last singles match of the evening came down to the No. 6 singles where Lynch defeated freshman Laura Schwenn (Ottumwa, Iowa) 5-7, 6-4, 10-3, giving the Sharks a 6-3 victory.

The Sharks, who came up just short in the 2007 GNAC Championship to Suffolk University, have captured 4 of the last 5 GNAC championships under the leadership of the 2008 GNAC Coach of the Year Bob Rauseo.

Simmons College improved to 11-4 with the victory, while Johnson & Wales dropped to 11-5 with the defeat. The Sharks will learn their fate when the NCAA field is announced next May 4th, and they will begin play in a first round match in the NCAAs next May 8th.

Singles Competition

1. Olivia Molhant (JWU) def. Stacey Kohan (SIMMONS)   3-6, 6-2, 6-2

2. Maile Macleod (SIMMONS) def. Erienne Gale (JWU)     7-6, 6-1

3. Melissa Engel (JWU) def. Katy Hallinan (SIMMONS)     6-2, 7-5

4. Maggie Taylor (SIMMONS) def. Jessica Cohen (JWU)   6-1, 6-0

5. Liza Pope (SIMMONS) def. Jessica Flammia (JWU)      6-3, 6-2

6. Athena Lynch (SIMMONS) def. Laura Schwenk (JWU) 5-7, 6-4, 10-3

 

Doubles Competition

1. Gale/Engel (JWU) def. Kohan/Macleod (SIMMONS)                                   8-1

2. Pope/Taylor (SIMMONS) def. Molhant/Cohen (JWU)                                 8-4

3. Lynch/Jordan Borash (SIMMONS) def. Schwenk/Dana Trimborn (JWU)         8-4

WOMEN’S TENNIS 2008 ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

WOMEN'S TENNIS 2008 ALL-CONFERENCE

PLAYER OF THE YEAR     Kaitlynn Cates         Suffolk

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR     Lauren Cameron     Suffolk

COACH OF THE YEAR     Robert Rauseo         Simmons

FIRST TEAM - SINGLES

FIRST TEAM - DOUBLES
Erienne Gale / Melissa Engel     Johnson & Wales

SECOND TEAM - SINGLES

SECOND TEAM - DOUBLES
Kaitlynn Cates / Alex Hernandez-Vallant     Suffolk


SPORTSMANSHIP TEAM                   
Kendra Dowen              Albertus Magnus
Kailey Smith                 Emerson
Nory Hayes                   Emmanuel
Jessica Flammia            Johnson & Wales
Aisha Engram               Pine Manor
Gianna Gurga               Saint Joseph (CT)
Stacey Kohan               Simmons
Alex Hernandez-Vallant Suffolk