SALEM, Mass. – Multiple Panthers took wins in both singles and doubles matches as Plymouth State University posted an 8-1 win over Salem State University in a Little East Conference women's tennis match at the Central Campus Tennis Courts on Saturday.
The Panthers wrap up the regular season tomorrow (Oct. 15) with a home contest against Bridgewater State with huge tournament seeding implications. With a win, PSU will lock up the third seed and a home first-round match, though a loss would drop the Panthers to the fifth seed setting up a first round road game.
PSU swept the doubles matches, with sophomore
Alyssa Craigie (Gilford, N.H.) and junior
Elena Cardoso (Hudson, Mass.) teaming up for an 8-4 victory.
Junior
Tessa LaBarre (North Smithfield, R.I.) knocked out her opponent in a 6-1, 6-1 showing before the Panthers took the next three singles matches as the lead exploded to 7-0.
The Vikings managed to secure a point in a lengthy battle at No. 5 singles, but junior
Amelia Brown (Meredith, N.H.) capped the day off in No. 6 singles with a 6-3, 7-5 win to account for the final score.
Plymouth State jumps to 6-5 (4-3 LEC), while Salem State falls to 0-12 and 0-8 in conference play.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 8, Salem State 1
- Plymouth State (6-5, 4-3 LEC)
- Salem State (0-12, 0-8 LEC)
How it Happened:
- The Panthers darted to an easy 3-0 lead after Craigie and Cardoso completed No. 1 doubles match (8-4), while LaBarre and senior Camilla Puzio (Holden, Mass.) took No. 2 by an 8-3 margin.
- Freshman Chloe Ahern (Middleton, Mass.) and Brown teamed up for an 8-2 win to complete the sweep of pairs action.
- LaBarre carried the momentum into No. 1 singles where she won 6-1, 6-1.
- Craigie added another point for the Panthers with a 6-1, 6-0 win at No. 2 for a 5-0 lead.
- Ahern and Cardoso dominated at No. 3 and No. 4 singles with a pair of 6-1, 6-2 victories.
- Puzio fought hard at No. 5 singles, taking the first set in a tiebreaker 7-6 (7-5), but her opponent battled back to take the second set 6-2 and Puzio came up just short in the ten-point super tiebreaker 10-8.
- Brown capitalized in the final singles match with a 6-3, 7-5 result to set the final score.
By the Numbers:
- The duo of Puzio and LaBarre climbs to 5-1 in doubles play, winning each of their last three.
- Cardoso has won three straight singles matches.
- Puzio holds the team lead with seven singles wins, while Brown is an outstanding 6-1 on the season.
- The Panthers own a 26-7 record against Salem State, winning each of the last 13 matchups.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State closes out the regular season tomorrow (Oct. 15) with a huge conference match against Bridgewater State at the Holderness School Courts, as the winner will secure the #3 seed for next week's LEC Tournament. First serve is set for 1:00 p.m.
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