Women's Tennis Falls to UMass Dartmouth, 5-4

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The UMass Dartmouth women's tennis team edged host Bridgewater State University, 5-4, in a key Little East Conference (LEC) match on Tuesday afternoon at the Rosen Memorial Tennis Courts.

The visiting Corsairs improve to 4-1 on the season and 3-0 in the Little East, while the Bears fall to 3-2 overall and 2-1 in conference play.

UMass trailed 2-1 after doubles play, but captured four of the six singles flights to come away with the victory.

In doubles play, Bridgewater State's junior tandem of Bojana Roman (Somerset, Mass.) and Amanda Strickland (Plymouth, Mass.) posted an 8-4 win at the second flight, while sophomore Rachel Tarantino (Mansfield, Mass.) and freshman Angelique Gray (Osterville, Mass.) earned an 8-6 triumph at the third spot.

Sophomore Jenna Lahaie (Lakeville, Mass.) and freshman Jamie Fastino (Rehoboth, Mass.) picked up the lone doubles point for the Corsairs with an 8-5 decision at number one.

Lahaie and juniors Mollie McCaffrey (Taunton, Mass.) and Samantha Rollings (Tiverton, R.I.) picked up straight set wins for UMass at the first, third and fifth singles flights.

Bridgewater countered with a 6-4, 6-1 straight set triumph by Strickland at number four singles, and a 1-6, 6-3, 6-1 decision by Roman, who battled back from a set down, at the second spot.

The outcome of the tightly contested match came down to number six singles as Gray and UMass junior Molina Oung (Bourne, Mass.) split the first two sets. Gray took the opener, 6-4, while Oung countered with a 6-0 decision in the second. Oung won the flight and the match for the Corsairs with a 6-4 triumph in the decisive third set.

In upcoming action, the Bears host non-conference foe Roger Williams University on Thursday afternoon at three. On Saturday, both teams will compete at the 32nd Annual Newport Grass Court Doubles Tournament held at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island.