PROVIDENCE, R.I. – In a crucial GNAC match, the Suffolk women's tennis team maintained its composure to stun Johnson & Wales, 5-4, Saturday night thanks to stellar singles play from Isabel Rathlev.
With the score level at 4-all, Rathlev, a sophomore in the fifth position, took down Vitoria Pizzulo, 7-5, 6-3, to lift the Rams to victory. With the win, the blue-and-gold move to 3-1 in GNAC play, good for second in the conference's standing behind the league's leader Simmons at 5-0. Overall, Suffolk sits at 7-4. JWU, meanwhile, dropped its second straight to dip to 8-3 overall and 3-2 in league action.
The Wildcats were first on the board, however, as the tandem of Taylor Klein and Lauren Torre swept Rathlev and Lyndsay Reese at No. 3. Suffolk quickly got on the board to even the tally at 1 each as Valentina Medina and Abby Trigilio defeated Emily Glass and Delaney Macchirole, 8-2, for the pairs 10th win of 2015 in the second slot. An 8-4 victory by Aidiana Sagyndykova and Rebecca Eshoo over Morgan Thompson and Victoria Pizzulo on the first court put the Rams up, 2-1.
Medina stretched Suffolk's lead to 3-1 as the sophomore recorded her second golden match of the week and fourth of the season. The three-time reigning GNAC Rookie of the Week swept Glass, before JWU's Klein answered with a golden match of her own against Eshoo in the third position.
Sagyndykova kept Suffolk out in front as the Rams' ace beat Thompson, 6-2, 6-0.
The Wildcats won matches on courts six and four to tie the match for the third time. Macchirole bested Elena Cisneros, 6-3, 6-0, at No. 6, while Trigilio slipped to Torre, 6-1, 6-1, at No. 4.
Rathlev's second victory of the season sealed Suffolk's triumph.
Up next for the Rams is a Monday afternoon date at Albertus Magnus at 1 p.m.
Suffok 5 Johnson & Wales 4
Singles
1 - Aidiana Sagyndykova (Suffolk) defeated Morgan Thompson (JWU), 6-2, 6-0
2 - Valentina Medina (Suffolk) defeated Emily Glass (JWU), 6-0, 6-0
3 - Taylor Klein (JWU) defeated Rebecca Eshoo (Suffolk) 6-0, 6-0
4 - Lauren Torre (JWU) defeated Abby Trigilio (Suffolk), 6-1, 6-1
5 - Isabel Rathlev (Suffolk) defeated Victoria Pizzulo (JWU), 7-5, 6-3
6 - Delaney Macchirole (JWU) defeated Elena Cissneros (Suffolk, 6-3, 6-0
Doubles
1 - Aidiana Sagyndykova/Rebecca Eshoo (Suffolk) defeated Morgan Thompson/Victoria Pizzulo (JWU), 8-4
2 - Valentina Medina/Abby Trigilio (Suffolk) defeated Emily Glass/Delaney Macchirole (JWU), 8-2
3 - Taylor Kein/Lauren Torre (JWU) defeated Isabel Rathlev/Lyndsay Reese (Suffolk), 8-0
Order of finish: (S) 2, 3, 1, 6, 4, 5 (D) 3, 2, 1