Women’s Tennis Comes Up Short in America East Quarterfinal
COLUMBIA, MD.- The No. 5 seed University at Albany women’s tennis team (10-13) fell 4-2 in the America East Quarterfinals to No. 4 seed UMBC on Friday morning.
“We responded so well to the challenge of winning a high pressure match with only five players,” said head coach Gordon Graham. “We just needed a couple of points in a few matches to go the other way.”
In doubles, the Great Danes ceded the No. 3 match because of a lack of players, and looked to get back on track in the No. 1 and No. 2 spots. Mireille Hermans and Alba Sala dropped the No. 1 match 8-6 to seal the doubles point for UMBC.
After forfeiting the No. 6 singles slot, the Retrievers took a 2-0 lead. Rocio Lopez made her America East season debut in the No. 5 spot, taking her match 6-2, 6-1 to put the Great Danes within one. Sala rebounded from her doubles match to take No. 3 singles, 6-4, 6-1 and tie the score at two.
The Purple & Gold won two singles matches in straight sets, but needed to win two of the last three singles contests. After falling 6-1 in the opening set at No. 1, Mireille Hermans fought back to send the second set to a tiebreak, but lost 6-1, 7-6(5). Kirsten Scott battled to a first set tiebreak 7-6(1) before dropping the second set 7-5. The No. 2 singles victory gave UMBC the victory, 4-2, suspending the No. 4 match.
UMBC 4, UALBANY 2
Doubles:
1. Stange-Jonsson/Cleary (UMBC) def. Hermans-Sala (UA) 8-6*
2. Berghaus-Kurasz (UMBC) led Scott-Crummey (UA) 7-4, suspended
3. Dolashvili-Aldunate (UMBC) won by default
Order of finish: 3,1
*Clinched doubles point for UMBC
Singles:
1. Kim Berghaus (UMBC) def. Mireille Hermans (UA) 6-1,7-6(5)
2. Madlena Kurasz (UMBC) def. Kirsten Scott (UA) 7-6 (1), 7-5$
3. Alba Sala (UA) def. Mariami Dolashivili (UMBC) 6-4,6-1
4. Cat Crummey (UA) led Isabel Aldunate (UMBC) 3-6,6-2,5-3,deuce… suspended
5. Rocio Lopez (UA) def. Josefin Stange-Jonsson (UMBC) 6-2,6-1
6. Shannon Cleary (UMBC) won by default
Order of finish: 6,5,3,1,2
$ Clinched match for UMBC
