Women's Tennis Edged in Season Opener

BOSTON, Mass. – The Rhode island College women's tennis team swept doubles play and won two of the first three completed singles matches as the Anchorwomen opened the 2013 season with a 5-4 win over Wentworth Institute of Technology in a non-conference match played at Harvard University's Beren Tennis Center.

Sophomore Tressa Canata (Cranston, R.I.) and freshman Li-Na Mansolillo (Foster, R.I.) took an 8-2 win over Leopard freshman Andrea Welsh (Rogers, Ark.) and junior Val Maccarone (Cranston, R.I.) at number three to give Rhode Island College a lead it would not relinquish. Freshman Julie Reddy (Greenville, R.I.) teamed with classmate Noelle Tiberi (Smithfield, R.I.) to defeat sophomore Nicole McColgan (Tewksbury, Mass.) and senior Deborah Massaro (Stony Point, N.Y.), 8-3, at number two before sophomore Sadie Campanella (Chepachet, R.I.) and freshman Jorgie Martin (Smithfield, R.I.) completed the sweep with an 8-6 win over sophomore Caitlin Corcoran (Brockton, Mass.) and junior Virginia Ofer (Cooperstown, N.Y.).

The start of singles play was delayed for nearly 15 minutes as a passing rain shower made the courts temporarily unplayable. When play resumed, freshman Ashley Fochler (Coventry, R.I.) extended the Anchorwomen lead to 4-0 with a 6-1, 6-3 over Welsh at number six singles before Wentworth got on the board when Corcoran defeated Campanella, 6-3, 6-4. Reddy would then clinch the match for Rhode Island College with a 6-0, 6-3 win over senior Olivia Hegner (Medford, Mass.) at number three.

Wentworth won the three remaining singles matches as Massaro – who became just the second Leopard since 1998 to eclipse the 20-win plateau for her career – defeated Canata, 6-1, 6-1, at number two, Ofer defeated Martin at number five (7-6 (7-4), 6-3), and McColgan defeated Tiberi at number four (6-3, 2-6, 1-0 (10-8)).

Rhode Island College (1-0) is at Clark on Tuesday, while that same day Wentworth (0-1) hosts Worcester State.

Rhode Island College 5, Wentworth 4

 Singles competition
1. Caitlin Corcoran (WIT) def. Sadie Campanella (RICWT) 6-3, 6-4
2. Deborah Massaro (WIT) def. Tressa Canata (RICWT) 6-1, 6-1
3. Julie Reddy (RICWT) def. Olivia Hegner (WIT) 6-0, 6-3
4. Nicole McColgan (WIT) def. Noelle Tiberi (RICWT) 6-3, 2-6, 1-0 (10-8)
5. Virgina Ofer (WIT) def. Jorgie Martin (RICWT) 7-6 (7-4), 6-3
6. Ashley Fochler (RICWT) def. Andrea Welsh (WIT) 6-1, 6-3

 Doubles competition
1. Sadie Campanella/Jorgie Martin (RICWT) def. Caitlin Corcoran/Virgina Ofer (WIT) 8-6
2. Julie Reddy/Noelle Tiberi (RICWT) def. Nicole McColgan/Deborah Massaro (WIT) 8-3
3. Tressa Canata/Li-Na Mansolillo (RICWT) def. Andrea Welsh/Val Maccarone (WIT) 8-2

Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (6,1,3,2,5,4)