BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University women's tennis team secured their third straight Little East Conference (LEC) regular season title as the host Bears downed the visiting Vikings of Salem State University, 7-2, on Saturday afternoon at the Rosen Memorial Tennis Courts.
The Bears, who improve to 10-2 on the season and 8-0 in the Little East, will be the top seed in next week's LEC Tournament and will have a first round bye. Salem falls to 6-4 overall and 6-2 in conference play. The Vikings will be the third seed in the tournament and will host a quarterfinal round matchup next week. Their opponent is still to be determined.
Junior Jenna Williamson (Ludlow, Mass.) led the way for BSU with a 6-4, 6-0 win at first doubles. Williamson also teamed with senior Lauren Hopp (Dartmouth, Mass.) for an 8-6 decision at the top doubles flight.
The Bears captured all three doubles flights and four of the six singles matches to secure the win.
Seniors Ashley Pereira (Assonet, Mass.) and Brittney Hislop (Burley, Wash.) posted an 8-5 victory, while freshman Alison Vautrin (Somerset, Mass.) and sophomore Rachael Eramo (Rowley, Mass.) earned an 8-3 win at the third doubles flight.
Vautrin, Hopp and sophomore Melissa Flynn (Stoneham, Mass.) also won in straight sets for the Bears in singles play at the fourth, fifth and sixth flights, respectively.
Williamson, Vautrin, Hopp and Flynn all finished the regular season with perfect 8-0 marks in Little East singles competition. Pereira and Hislop finished 8-0 versus LEC opponents at second doubles.
Junior Maddy Ward (Somerville, Mass.) and senior Jessica Spinale (Saugus, Mass.) picked up the lone two points for the Vikings as they both won in singles play. Ward came back from a set down to win at the second flight, 5-7, 6-2, 10-4, while Spinale won in straight sets at number three, 6-2, 6-2.
Today's match was part of the Breast Cancer Awareness month. The BSU student-athletes wore pink ribbons and decorated the courts in pink to help support breast cancer awareness.