Strong Doubles Play Leads Pirates Past Villanova, 4-3
4/9/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
The Pirates snapped a four-match losing streak to improve to 6-12 overall and 2-4 in BIG EAST competition.
The Hall has now defeated Villanova in each of their last four meetings.
SHU started the day by sweeping three doubles matches to secure the doubles point for the first time since their last victory, a 6-1 dismantling of Colgate on March 15.
Sophomores Rocio Portela (Demetrio Vega Baja, Puerto Rico) and Chloe Sher (Tin Shui Wai, Hong Kong) keep on rolling in the top spot for the Pirates, dispatching Villanova's #1 team of Mikelle Mancini and Sydney West, 8-3.
The two second-year team members now stand unbeaten in their last 11 outings, including five against conference competition.
Freshman Madison Shoemaker (Halfmoon Bay, British Columbia) and senior Elizabeth Verow (Barnt Green, England) got back on track with an 8-3 defeat of Alexandra Harding and Allison Solberg in the number two position.
With the win, Shoemaker and Verow bring their record as a team level at 7-7 for the spring, with all matches having been played in the #2 spot.
Anna Guryanova (Moscow, Russia) and Maria Rodriguez (Bogota, Colombia) also won to complete the sweep for the Hall, outlasting VU junior Wesleigh Donadio and senior Kristin Gobberg, 8-5.
It was the first win for the pair of freshmen in their last four appearances. The Pirates are now 5-1 when the team of Guryanova/Rodriguez tallies a doubles victory.
In singles play, Sher continued to display dominant form, cruising past Mancini, 6-2, 6-4 from the top position.
Sher has come out on top in nine of her last 11 matches while consistently matching up with the opponent's top singles choice.
Villanova rallied to take singles points from the two, three and four slots but the back-end of the Pirates lineup, which has been much improved this season, held strong to give SHU the result.
Shoemaker persevered through three sets to post her seventh dual-match singles victory of the season and her first in five matches with a 6-0, 5-7, 6-1 defeat of Villanova sophomore Amanda Nelson in #5 singles.
The other SHU point came courtesy of Rodriguez as she ousted Harding in the number six position by a score of 6-2, 6-0.
The Bogota native leads the team with 12 singles wins in dual matches this season.
Junior Karina Cordero (Maracay Estado Aragua, Venezuela) nearly added another point from the #4 position, ultimately falling in three sets.
Cordero took the first set, 7-5, from Kate Pettee but dropped the second set, 3-6. In the tiebreak, Cordero fell just short, losing 7-10.
After a short turnaround, the Pirates will look to continue their march towards postseason on Thursday, April 12 when they host in-state rival Rutgers. First serve is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
Seton Hall 4, Villanova 3
Singles
1. Chloe Sher (SHU) def. Mikelle Mancini (VU), 6-2, 6-4
2. Allison Solberg (VU) def. Rocio Portela (SHU), 7-6 (5), 6-4
3. Sydney West (VU) def. Elizabeth Verow (SHU), 6-4, 6-4
4. Kate Pettee (VU) def. Karina Cordero (SHU), 5-7, 6-3, 10-7
5. Madison Shoemaker (SHU) def. Amanda Nelson (VU), 6-0, 5-7, 6-1
6. Maria Rodriguez (SHU) def. Alexandra Harding (VU), 6-2, 6-0
Doubles
1. Portela/Sher (SHU) def. Mancini/West (VU), 8-3
2. Shoemaker/Verow (SHU) def. Harding/Solberg (VU), 8-3
3. Anna Guryanova/Rodriguez (SHU) def. Wesleigh Donadio/Kristin Gobberg (VU), 8-3
Only two days remain to reserve a spot to join all the Pirates on Friday, April 13, when they host an ITA Campus Kids Day.
Events will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the Auxillary Gym of the Richie Regan Athletic Center on Seton Hall's South Orange Campus.
Highlights will include tennis drills, racket stencling, autograph and picture opportunities, and pizza with the Pirates.
To register, please submit this FORM by Wednesday, April 11.
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