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University of Massachusets Athletics
Tennis Hits The Road To Play Sacred Heart Thursday
March 31, 2010 | Tennis
March 31, 2010
AMHERST, Mass. - The UMass women's tennis team will put their three match winning streak on the line Thursday as they travel to play the Pioneers of Sacred Heart. The Minutewomen are on the road for the seventh time in their last eight matches, playing their first outdoor home match this last time out against Hofstra on March 28. UMass has been on a roll in their last three matches, taking wins over Presbyterian (6-1), NJIT (6-1) and Hofstra (7-0). The squad currently stands at 10-6 overall on the year.
Last Time Out
Playing in their first outdoor home match of the spring season, the UMass women's tennis team won their third-straight match as they defeated the Pride of Hofstra University, 7-0, Sunday afternoon at the Mullins Courts. The Minutewomen improved to 10-6 on the year in dual matches and a 6-1 record at home.
UMass played a very efficient match, not losing a single set in single or doubles play the entire afternoon. The strong play started in doubles competition, with Candynce Boney and Maude Lecluyse knocking-off Zoe Taylor and Malissa Gilanchi, 8-0, in first doubles. Kaitlyn Carpenter and Jocelyn Providence also swept their doubles match, beating Brooke Sailor and Christie Gattelaro , 8-0, in the third spot. Tanisha Hodgson and Julia Comas played a much closer match in the second doubles spot, sneaking by Sonia Tsay and Lauren Clifton, 8-7.
Singles play continued to be impressive as has has been all year long in the Minutewomen victories, as they took all six singles matches. Comas finished off a great weekend with a straight-set win in first singles, topping Taylor, 6-3, 6-2. Boney, Lecluyse, Carpenter and Providence also wrapped-up undefeated weekends with straight-set victories at second, fourth, fifth and sixth singles respectively. The two weekend wins for Boney improved her overall record to 4-2 at second singles. Hodgson picked-up a win in the third spot with a, 6-3, 6-3, win over Gattelaro.
Three-Straight Wins
The back-to-back wins over the weekend made it three-straight victories for the Minutewomen. The squad snapped a five-match losing streak with a, 6-1, win over Presbyterian in their spring break finale, and have added on wins against NJIT and Hofstra since then. A win over Sacred Heart on Thursday will tie the team's season-long win streak of four.
Comas Named A-10 Rookie of the Week
Freshman Julia Comas (Barcelona, Spain) was named Atlantic 10 Women's Tennis Rookie of the Week last week for her stellar performance over the weekend for the Minutewomen. It is the first career A-10 weekly award for Comas and the first such honor for any UMass tennis player this season.
Comas helped UMass to a pair of victories over NJIT and Hofstra this past weekend. The freshman, who was recently moved into the first singles spot, won both of her singles matches, improving her record to 3-1 at the top spot. Comas edged Nina Mayevska of NJIT, 6-7, 6-2, 10-6 on Saturday before knocking-off Zoe Taylor of Hofstra, 6-3, 6-4, on Sunday. The Barcelona, Spain native also teamed up with Tanisha Hodgson for a doubles victory against Hofstra, earning an 8-7 win in the number two spot.
Boney Continues Great Play
Junior Candynce Boney has been outstanding for the Minutewomen, going 4-1 in singles play over the last five matches. The Las Vegas, Nevada native has posted a perfect 3-0 record since being moved into the No. 2 singles spot with the Minutewomen winning all three of those matches. Boney t dominated Olivia McMillan of Prebysterian, 6-0, 6-0, to start the streak, and has since registered wins over Ana Lidon of NJIT (6-0, 6-4) and Lauren Clifton of Hofstra (6-2, 6-3).
Scouting the Pioneers
Sacred Heart enters the match with a 7-9 record in dual matches this season and are coming off a, 7-0, win over Hartford their last time out. Picked to finish third in the Northeast Conference this year, the Pioneers are led in wins by Elizabeth Harrington, who has a 7-2 record in the No. 3 singles spot. Sophomore Kate Donnelly plays the No. 1 spot, going 3-7 so far this year after posting seven wins in that spot as a freshman. Sacred Heart had an NEC conference-high 12 wins a year ago. UMass took on another NEC opponents earlier this year, when they beat Long Island, 5-1.
Next Up
The Minutewomen will return home to Mullins Courts on Friday, April 9 to take on the Great Danes of Albany (2 p.m.).