Poets lose heartbreaker against Rochester (N.Y.) 5-4

Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College women's tennis team after taking all three doubles matches lost five of six singles just to fall to the Jackets of the University of Rochester (N.Y.) 5-4 Thursday afternoon.

Whittier now drops to 2-5, 0-1 SCIAC, while Rochester improves to 3-1. 

In a rare simultaneous dual match where the men and women played throughout a six hour time period against the Jackets of the University of Rochester (N.Y.) the Poets jumped out in front early 3-0 after doubles.

The women played exceptionally well sweeping all three doubles at No. 1 8-6, No. 2 8-3, and No. 3 8-1, but once singles started it was a whole different story as the Jackets stormed out to take the first set in five of the six matches in route to taking five of six singles and the 5-4 victory.

Before singles commenced sophomore Adrienne Hamada was forced to withdraw from her No. 3 position due to an injury forcing the Poets bottom half to move up a spot bringing junior Lauren Gelgur into the lineup at No. 5 and moving senior Kady Oliker up to No. 3, and freshman Benay Weintraub up to No. 4.

Freshman Rachel Sugiyama was the lone winner in singles for the Poets using a balanced attack of aggressive groundstrokes and timely net approaches to complete the 6-4, 6-4 victory at No. 6.

Chloe Dredge coming off a big win against Texas Tyler two days ago again performed strongly at No. 2 singles but came up short at the end in the third set.  She played her heart out losing in a three hour match 6-3 in the third, being the last match on with the deciding match on her shoulders. 

She dropped the first set 7-5, but stormed back in the second to grab two breaks of serve to win 6-1, and then in the third she got up a break 3-2 but saw her opponent Alex Goodman rattle off four straight game to pull off the victory and the fifth point for the Jackets.             

Doubles:

1.            Dredge/Serylo (WC) def. Goodman/Shreck (UR) 8-6

2.            Hamada/Sugiyama (WC) def. Tseng/Genbauffe (UR) 8-3

3.            Oliker/Weintraub (WC) def. Suresky/ZU (UR) 8-1

Singles:

1.            Frances Tseng (UR) def. Liliana Serylo (WC) 6-3, 6-3

2.            Alex Goodman (UR) def. Chloe Dredge (WC) 7-5, 1-6, 6-3

3.            Danielle Shreck (UR) def. Kady Oliker (WC) 6-1, 6-1

4.            Rachel Suresky (UR) def. Benay Weintraub (WC) 6-1, 6-1

5.            Cara Genbauffe (UR) def. Lauren Gelgur (WC) 6-2, 6-1

6.            Rachel Sugiyama (WC) def. Hayley Brower (UR) 6-4, 6-4