Pirates Rebound From Friday Setback, Defeat FDU Saturday

Friday, February 16

Newark, N.J.

5 p.m.

Seton Hall University

NJIT

Pirates Rebound From Friday Setback, Defeat FDU Saturday

2/17/2018 8:45:00 PM | Women's Tennis

Florham Park, N.J. – The Seton Hall women's tennis team suffered a heartbreaking, 4-3 setback after a hard-fought match at NJIT on Friday night, but bounced back with a decisive 6-1 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson at CenterCourt Sports on Friends & Alumni Day Saturday afternoon.

Against NJIT, the Pirates won the doubles point thanks to a gritty 7-6 (7-5) win at the top flight by senior Luize Strike (Riga, Latvia) and junior Anicka Fajnorova (Bratislava, Slovakia). Sophomore Krista Cerpina (Riga, Latvia) and senior Katie Kim (Honolulu, Hawaii) then locked up the doubles win at the No. 2 position, 6-3.

However, the Highlanders came away with four of the six singles matchups to secure the victory, despite wins from Cerpina at the No. 3 flight and sophomore Michal Matson (St. Albans, New Zealand) at No. 5.

On Saturday the Pirates came out strong with victories at the top two doubles spots before Strike set the tone with a clean 6-0, 6-0 victory at the No. 1 singles position.

From there, Taal, Fajnorova and Matson earned wins at their respective flights to secure the team victory.

"Today shoes how much character this team has," said head coach Riza Zalameda. "To bounce back after a heartbreaking loss on Friday, and play as composed and confidently as they did in the win Saturday makes me extremely proud of them."

"Taal has been a leader beyond her years, and has poise under any circumstance which was evident in the way she played today. Strike also had a great day, and her experience as a senior will continue to be influential in our team's success."

Up next, the Pirates taken on Cornell on Saturday, Feb. 24 and Binghamton on Feb. 25 in Ithaca, N.Y. Both matches begin at 1 p.m.

Friday at NJIT Results:

Doubles
1. Luize Strike/Anicka Fajnorova (SHU) def. Holly Matson/Rafaella Sampaio (NJIT) 7-6 (7-5)
2. Krista Cerpina/Katie Kim (SHU) def. Mayar Eltony/Alba Rosas Garcia (NJIT) 6-3
3. Amanda Helminsky/Advaita Saravanan (NJIT) def. Thandy Kangwa/Anniek Jansen (SHU) 6-3

Singles
1. Mayar Eltony (NJIT) def. Luize Strike (SHU) 6-3, 3-6, 6-4
2. Advaita Saravanan (NJIT) def. Anicka Fajnorova (SHU) 6-4, 3-6, 6-1
3. Krista Cerpina (SHU) def. Holly Matson (NJIT) 2-6, 6-2, 6-2
4. Rafaella Sampaio (NJIT) def. Katie Kim (SHU) 6-3, 6-3
5. Michal Matson (SHU) def. Alba Rosas Garcia (NJIT) 6-4, 6-4
6. Amanda Helminsky (NJIT) def. Anniek Jansen (SHU) 5-7, 7-6 (7-4), 6-1

Saturday vs. Fairleigh Dickinson Results:

Doubles
1. Melody Taal/Michal Matson (SHU) def. Tatiana Eftenoiu/Maria Vladescu (FDU) 7-5
2. Krista Cerpina/Katie Kim (SHU) def. Marta Ruszczynska/Patricia Eftenoiu (FDU) 6-4
3. Thandy Kangwa/Anniek Jansen (SHU) def. forfeit

Singles
1. Luize Strike (SHU) def. Tatiana Eftenoiu (FDU) 6-0, 6-0
2. Melody Taal (SHU) def. Marta Ruszczynska (FDU) 4-6, 7-5, 6-4
3. Anicka Fajnorova (SHU) def. Patricia Eftenoiu (FDU) 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
4 . Liza Rachenko (FDU) def. Krista Cerpina (SHU) 6-0, 3-3, ret.
5. Michal Matson (SHU) def. Maria Vladescu (FDU) 4-6, 6-1 6-2
6. Katie Kim (SHU) def. forfiet