Women's Tennis Remains Unbeaten in LEC Play with 8-1 Win Over Salem State

SALEM, Mass. – The visiting Bridgewater State University women's tennis team posted an 8-1 Little East Conference (LEC) victory over Salem State University on Wednesday afternoon at the Central Campus Tennis Courts.

The Bears improve to 7-2 on the season and 4-0 in the Little East with their fourth straight win. The Vikings fall to 0-8 overall and 0-4 in conference play. The BSU women's tennis team is now 20-6 versus Salem State and 10-2 on the road since the Bears joined the Little East in 2004.

With the victory, BSU head coach David Purpura increased his career coaching total to 63 wins as he tied BSU Hall of Famer Barry Gorman as the all-time winningest coach in program history.

Bridgewater swept the three doubles matches and captured five of the six singles flights.

In doubles play, junior Madeline Von Ruden (Ashley Falls, Mass.) and graduate student Mackenzie Silveira (Middletown, R.I.) cruised to an 8-0 win at the top flight while sophomore Yasmine Queen (Waltham, Mass.) and freshman Samamtha Bettencourt (Tiverton, R.I.) teamed up for an 8-0 triumph at number three. Senior Allison Carter (Raynham, Mass.) and junior Meghan Lotti (Stoneham, Mass.) completed the doubles sweep with an 8-3 decision at the second flight.

Von Ruden (6-0, 6-0), Silveira (6-2, 6-0), Carter (6-0, 6-1), Lotti (6-3, 6-2) and Bettencourt (6-1, 6-0) all won in straight sets for the Bears at the first, second, third, fifth and sixth flights, respectively.

The Vikings picked up their lone point of the match at number four singles as freshman Ryann Tripp (Wareham, Mass.) battled back from a set down to win in a super tie-breaker, 1-6, 6-4, 13-11.

The Little East schedule continues for both teams on Saturday afternoon at one o'clock (weather permitting). The Bears travel to Plymouth State University to take on the Panthers while the Vikings head to VTSU Castleton to battle the Spartans.

Notes: Lotti is now 4-0 against Little East opponents in singles play this season while the doubles tandem of Lotti and Carter is a also perfect 4-0 versus conference opponents.