NORTH READING, Mass. – The Suffolk women's tennis team pulled back the curtain on its 2018 campaign Tuesday afternoon, but came out on the wrong side of a 7-2 decision as the Rams fell to Rhode Island College at North Reading High School.
THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 2, Rhode Island College 7
RECORDS: Suffolk (0-1) | Rhode Island College 7
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Anchormen got on the board first with back-to-back doubles decisions as the visitors locked up wins on courts two and three, respectively. Suffolk's top tandem of Ilda Ascic and Delaney Dunlap cut that deficit in half, however, as the freshman and senior downed Katherine Braganca and Laurel Ten Eyck, 8-6.
RIC quickly extinguished the Rams' momentum as it rattled off wins in positions five, four and three to lock up the non-conference victory.
Once the match was decided in favor of the Anchormen, Ascic continued with her standout debut as the rookie put together a 6-0, 6-2, win over Victoria Vittori in the second slot.
The match wrapped up after Rhode Island secured wins in the sixth spot and on the top court for the final 7-2 margin.
THE RESULTS
SINGLES
1 – Grace Zangri (RIC) defeated Delaney Dunlap (Suffolk), 6-4, 6-3
2 – Ilda Ascic (Suffolk) defeated Victoria Vittori (RIC), 6-0, 6-2
3 – Seren Bobola (RIC) defeated Elena Cisneros Garcia (Suffolk), 6-4, 6-1
4 – Katherine Braganca (RIC) defeated Kendall Smith (Suffolk), 6-4, 6-4
5 – Hailey Raskob (RIC) defeated Meagan French (Suffolk), 6-4, 6-1
6 – Laurel Ten Eyck (RIC) defeated Jordan Miller (Suffolk), 6-4, 6-0
Doubles
1 – Delaney Dunlap/Ilda Ascic (Suffolk) defeated Katherine Braganca/Laurel Ten Eyck (RIC), 8-6
2 – Grace Zangari/Hailey Raskob (RIC) defeated Elena Cisneros Garcia/Kendall Smith (Suffolk), 8-5
3 – Serena Bobola/Emily Orticerio (RIC) defeated Meagan French/Jordan Miller (Suffolk), 8-6
Order of Finish: Singles (5, 4, 3, 2, 6, 1), Doubles (2, 3, 1)
NOTEWORTHY
- Suffolk and Rhode Island met in the Rams' season opener for the third straight campaign.
- Ascic recorded her first golden set of her collegiate career.
COMING UP
Suffolk has one day's rest before it entertains Wentworth Thursday, Sept. 6 at North Reading High School. First serve is set for 6 p.m.