Seton Hall University
Georgetown
Tennis Falls to Georgetown, 5-2
3/29/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
MOUNTAINSIDE, N.J. – The Seton Hall tennis team played the first of its three home spring matches this season on Thursday, falling to conference rival Georgetown in a close 5-2 affair at Mountainside Indoor Tennis Center.
Junior Chloe Sher (Tin Shui Wai, Hong Kong) delivered the highlight of the day for The Hall, easing past Victoria Sekely 6-2, 6-3 from the top spot in the singles lineup. The victory was the third in the last five appearances for Sher, who increased her team-leading win totals to eight in dual match play and 17 overall in 2012-13.
Keeping pace with Sher was sophomore Maria Rodriguez (Bogota, Colombia), who remained one win behind SHU’s primary #1 player by outlasting Georgetown’s Taylor Perz, 6-2, 3-6, 10-8 in their match in the sixth position. Rodriguez snapped a two-match winning streak for Perz; who had won three of her previous four matches at #6, and now stands as the only Pirate with two singles victories in BIG EAST play to this point in the year.
Prior to the pair of victories, the Pirates (4-9, 1-2) were edged in doubles competition, failing to secure a point that has been a common theme in all of their four victories in 2013.
Due to an injury to freshman Alex Landert (Naples, Fla.), senior Karina Cordero (Maracay Estado Aragua, Venezuela) and sophomore Anna Guryanova (Moscow, Russia) were thrust into the third position. In their first appearance as a team this season, Cordero and Guryanova could not overcome the unbeaten GU duo of Sophie Panarese and Michelle Pratt.
Down a match, SHU’s top two pairs dueled with their Hoya counterparts, but Georgetown emerged with slim 8-6 victories in both matches to take an advantage into singles competition.
Panarese defeated Madison Shoemaker (Halfmoon Bay, British Columbia) in straight sets at #4 and Rocio Portela (Demetrio Vega Baja, Puerto Rico) dropped a 2-6, 3-6 decision to Kelly Comolli at #2 in the first two singles matches to be decided, putting Georgetown within one point of the team win.
Despite battling back from an empty first set, Cordero was unable to complete the comeback against Elizabeth Hamlin, eventually falling 0-6, 5-7, as the Hoyas secured the match with the point at #5.
Dropping down to #3 after a win in the second spot last time out against Providence, freshman Julia Keenan (Greenland, N.H.) was unrelenting in her showdown with GU junior Madeline Jaeger, as the two combined to produce the match of the day.
Keenan claimed the first frame, 7-6, but fell in the second, 6-7. Keenan and Jaeger then needed 20 points to decide the tiebreak with Jaeger ultimately emerging as the victor, 11-9.
The Hoyas (10-4, 2-2) have won three consecutive matches and were ranked #70 in the nation as recently as four days ago.
SHU will return to action next Friday, April 5 when they welcome the Villanova Wildcats to New Jersey. Start-time is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
Seton Hall 2, Georgetown 5
Doubles
1. Elizabeth Hamlin/Victoria Sekely (GU) def. Rocio Portela/Chloe Sher (SHU), 8-6
2. Kelly Comolli/Madeline Jaeger (GU) def. Julia Keenan/Madison Shoemaker (SHU), 8-6
3. Sophie Panarese/Michelle Pratt (GU) def. Karina Cordero/Anna Guryanova (SHU), 8-1
Order of Finish: 3, 2, 1
Singles
1. Chloe Sher (SHU) def. Victoria Sekely (GU), 6-2, 6-3
2. Kelly Comolli (GU) def. Rocio Portela (SHU), 6-2, 6-3
3. Madeline Jaeger (GU) def. Julia Keenan (SHU), 6-7, 7-6, 11-9
4. Sophie Panarese (GU) def. Madison Shoemaker (SHU), 6-3, 6-0
5. Elizabeth Hamlin (GU) def. Karina Cordero (SHU), 6-0, 7-5
6. Maria Rodriguez (SHU) def. Taylor Perz (GU), 6-2, 3-6, 10-8
Order of Finish: 3, 2, 5. 1, 6, 3
