Seton Hall University
Rutgers
Sher Wins, but Tennis Falls at RU
4/11/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The Seton Hall tennis team took to the road for the final time this season on Wednesday, dropping a 6-1 decision at Rutgers earlier this afternoon.
The Pirates fall to 5-11 overall and 2-4 in conference matches this spring with one match remaining prior to next week’s BIG EAST Tournament.
Seton Hall’s lone point came courtesy of junior Chloe Sher (Tin Shui Wai, Hong Kong) who continued to roll at #1 singles and re-write the school record book in the process.
Up against Vanessa Petrini, the fourth-ranked player in the Northeast region, Sher surrendered only three games en route to a comfortable 6-1, 6-2 win. The victory was the second the Seton Hall junior has scored over Rutgers’ top player in 2012-13, and the third-straight for Sher in the head-to-head series against Petrini, who spent time ranked in the ITA Top-100 earlier this spring.
Sher has now won four consecutive BIG EAST matches, all in straight sets, and five of her last six overall. The win was also her 20th total singles win between fall and spring competition, making her the first player on record to post three 20-win seasons at Seton Hall.
The Hong Kong native now stands alone in fourth on the program’s all-time wins list with 60, just one behind Sharla Ciaco ’95 for third.
After Rutgers won at #3 doubles to start the day, the Pirates needed to sweep the remaining matches to build a 1-0 cushion heading into singles. SHU narrowly missed out on securing an early advantage by falling in close matches at the top two doubles positions, results that would have swung the doubles point in favor of The Hall.
Rocio Portela (Demetrio Vega Baja, Puerto Rico) and Sher led RU’s team of Gina Li and Petrini 6-5 at #1, but were unable to seal the win and the match went into a tiebreak. In the decisive frame, Li and Petrini found a slight edge and emerged with a 9-8 (5) victory that secured the doubles point for the Scarlet Knights.
In the second doubles position, freshman Julia Keenan (Greenland, N.H.) and sophomore Madison Shoemaker (Halfmoon Bay, British Columbia) stood within two games of winning their second conference match in a five-day span; up 6-4 on Lindsey Kayati and Mariam Zein after 10 games. Kayati and Zein mounted a rally however and eventually took the match, 8-6.
Rutgers earned points at the second and fourth singles positions to push the lead to 3-0, but Sher SHU on the board with her impressive victory at #1. The Scarlet Knights went on to sweep the remaining three matches to account for the final score line.
The Pirates will return home for the regular season finale as they take on St. John’s on Saturday, April 13. Senior captain Karina Cordero (Maracay Estado Aragua, Venezuela) will be honored as part of Senior Day and the match is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. from South Orange.
Seton Hall 1, Rutgers 6
Doubles
1. Gina Li/Vanessa Petrini (RU) def. Rocio Portela/Chloe Sher (SHU), 9-8 (5)
2. Lindsey Kayati/Mariam Zein (RU) def. Julia Keenan/Madison Shoemaker (SHU), 8-6
3. Stefania Balasa/Lindsay Balsamo (RU) def. Anna Guryanova/Alex Landert (SHU), 8-1
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2
Singles
1. Chloe Sher (SHU) def. Vanessa Petrini (RU), 6-1, 6-2
2. Gina Li (RU) def. Rocio Portela (SHU), 6-1, 6-0
3. Lindsey Kayati (RU) def. Julia Keenan (SHU), 6-1, 6-2
4. Stefania Balasa (RU) def. Alex Landert (SHU), 6-0, 6-1
5. Mariam Zein (RU) def. Madison Shoemaker (SHU), 6-2, 6-2
6. Lindsay Balsamo (RU) def. Karina Cordero (SHU), 6-2, 7-5
Order of Finish: 2, 4, 1, 3, 5, 6
