Women's Tennis Opens Season with 5-2 Loss to Richmond

Saturday, January 24

Wake Forest

12:00 PM

Dartmouth College

Richmond

Women's Tennis Opens Season with 5-2 Loss to Richmond

1/24/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis

By: Dartmouth

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. ? The Dartmouth women's tennis team dropped its opening match of the season, 5-2, against Richmond, winners of the Atlantic 10 title four of the last five years. Junior tri-captain Jesse Adler and sophomore Molly Scott put two wins on the board for the Big Green, but the Spiders narrowly edged Dartmouth for the doubles point, then went on to win four singles matches to take the match.

At No. 1 singles, Scott won 6-3, 6-2 over Pamela Duran, who has been nationally ranked as high as No. 68. Duran is currently No. 12 in the latest ITA East Region singles ranking, one spot below Scott.

Adler, who returned to action after taking the fall term off to intern with ProVentures sports management group in Northern Virginia, defeated Kelly Tidwell, 6-4, 6-3, at No. 3. Tidwell was named second team All-A-10 and boasted the Spiders' best record last year.

Junior tri-captain Mary Beth Winingham, who also took the fall term off to intern on Capitol Hill with Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), dropped a three-setter at No. 2 to Erin Clark, an All-A-10 first team performer last year. Sophomore Ryan Reichel fell in a close three-setter to Joanna Matuszczyk at No. 5 singles. Freshman Carissa King was downed in straight sets at No. 4, as was junior Carley Markovitz at No. 6. Markovitz, who spent the fall term studying Spanish and performing community service in Argentina, lost 6-2, 6-4 to senior Ashlee Vosters, a two-time All-A-10 second team player. In an exhibition match, freshman Shelley Carpeni defeated Isabel Arana in straight sets.

In doubles action, Scott and Winingham combined for the Big Green's lone win with an 8-7 (6) win at No. 1 doubles over Duran and Clark, the No. 10 team in the latest East regional rankings. Adler and sophomore Georgiana Smyser fell 8-6 at No. 2, as did the freshmen tandem of King and Carpeni at No. 3.

Dartmouth returns to action tomorrow against host Wake Forest at noon.

Richmond 5, Dartmouth 2

Singles:
1.   Molly Scott (D) def. Pamela Duran (R) 6-3, 6-2
2.    Erin Clark (R) def. Mary Beth Winingham (D) 3-6, 6-1, 6-1
3.   Jesse Adler (D) def. Kelly Tidwell (R) 6-4, 6-3
4.    Hellen Cunningham (R) def. Carissa King (D) 6-0, 6-2
5.    Joana Matuszczyk (R) def. Ryan Reichel (D) 1-6, 6-4, 6-1
6.    Ashlee Vosters (R) def. Carley Markovitz (D) 6-2, 6-4
Exhibition: Shelley Carpeni (D) def. Isabel Arana (R) 6-3, 6-4

Doubles:
1.    Scott-Winingham (D) def. Duran-Clark (R) 8-7 (6)
2.    Vosters-Tidwell (R) def. Adler-Georgiana Smyser (D) 8-6
3.    Xenia Schneider-Cunningham (R) King-Carpeni (D) 8-6
Exhibition: Markovitz-Reichel (D) def. Catherine Crystal-Arana (R) 8-3