WESTON, Mass. – The Worcester State University women's tennis team built on a 2-1 lead after doubles play and took a season-opening, 7-2 win over Wentworth Institute of Technology in a non-conference match played at Regis College.
The Lancers' No. 3 doubles tandem of sophomore Isabel Badeau (Cumberland, R.I.) and senior Rachel Green (Worcester, Mass.) took an 8-2 victory over sophomore Jasmine Andrade (Dorchester, Mass.) and senior Mackenzie Jones (Granville, Mass.). Worcester State upped its lead to 2-0 when the No. 2 doubles team of sophomore Lauren Taylor (Attleboro, Mass.) and senior Alexis Silk (Greenfield, Mass.) defeated senior Sam Webb (Duxbury, Mass.) and junior Veronica Monteiro (North Andover, Mass.). Wentworth closed the gap to 2-1 after doubles play when freshman Ali Sollecito (Taunton, Mass.) and junior Ellen Butts (Brookfield, Mass.) teamed up at No. 1 doubles to defeat junior Nathalie Khafaga (Auburn, Mass.) and freshman Dominique Alves (Ludlow, Mass.), 8-5.
Sollecito trimmed the lead to 3-2 as she earned her first collegiate victory, 6-0, 6-0, over Taylor at No. 1. Silk made it 4-2 with a 6-0, 6-1 win over Butts at No. 3 before Alves clinched the match with a 6-0, 6-0 triumph over Andrade at No. 4. Green defeated sophomore Sam McGibbon (Pembroke, Mass.), 6-2, 6-1, at No. 5 while Khafaga battled back to win a three-set match over Webb at No. 2 (2-6, 6-4, 10-4). Freshman Monika Mularski (Auburn, Mass.) defeated Monteiro, 7-6 (7-3), 6-2, at No. 6.
Wentworth opens Commonwealth Coast Conference play on Thursday at Gordon. Worcester State is at Becker on Wednesday.
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