NEWPORT, R.I. – History was made in Newport on Saturday afternoon as the Wentworth Institute of Technology women's tennis team defeated Salve Regina for the first time in program history. The Leopards, who were 0-24 lifetime against the Seahawks entering the match, walked away with an 8-1 win.
Wentworth improves to 1-4 on the season after snapping an eight-match losing streak dating back to last season and gives head coach Aaron Bergeron his first win as the Leopards' head coach. The Seahawks fall to 0-3 (0-1).
The Leopards set the tone by taking two of the three doubles matches. Sophomores Ellen Butts (Brookfield, Mass.) and Veronica Monteiro (North Andover, Mass.) took an 8-5 decision over sophomore Abigail Burke (Harwich, Mass.) and freshman Shealyn FitzPatrick (South Windsor, Conn.) at No. 3 and juniors Caitlyn Briggs (Lee, mass.) and Sam Webb (Duxbury, Mass.) teamed up to defeat freshman Priscilla Gaspard (Brockton, Mass.) and senior Emma Gruber (New Canaan, Conn.) at No. 1, also by an 8-5 score. Salve Regina got its lone point of the match at No. 2 when senior Taylor Amendola (Westbrook, Conn.) and sophomore Anna Godshalk (Orleans, Mass.) edged freshman Olivia DeLuca (Dracut, Mass.) and junior Emily Jodoin (Burrillville, R.I.).
Butts extended the lead to 3-1 with a win at No. 5 when Godshalk retired due to an injury. Butts had taken the first set, 6-2. Webb defeated Amendola, 6-2, 6-2, at No. 4 before Jodoin clinched the win with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Burke at No. 3.
Briggs defeated Gruber, 6-2, 6-4, at No. 1, DeLuca bested Gaspard, 7-6 (7-3), 6-2 at No. 2, and sophomore Kelsey DeGouveia (New Bedford, Mass.) defeated FitzPatrick at No. 6, 7-6 (7-1), 6-1.
Wentworth hosts Gordon on Wednesday.