Bulldogs Earn Big Home Victory over Great Danes

SMITHFIELD, R.I.  – Home for the first time this spring, the Bryant University women's tennis team started strong with excellent doubles play and rode the momentum into singles to earn a 7-0 win over visiting University at Albany Saturday afternoon at the Bryant Tennis Courts.

Bryant (7-8) earned the important doubles point to open the match by earning wins at No.2 and No. 3 doubles with Lucy Bird (Hamilton, New Zealand) and Stephanie Smyers (Pittsburgh, Pa.) picking up an 8-1 win at No. 2 while Claudia Hidalgo (Guayaquil, Ecuador) and Irma Rodriguez (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico) winning 8-2 at No. 3. 

In singles play, the Bulldogs won five of six matches in straight sets with Hidalgo rallying from down 1-0 to earn a victory at No. 1 singles.  Albany's Susan Ma earned a 6-4 decision over Hidalgo in the first set, but the Bryant sophomore would come back strong, winning the second 6-2 and then 10-2 in the breaker.

But from there, the Bulldogs cruised with Bird, Smyers, Vickers, Valeria Couto Cuervo (Guaynabo, P.R.) and Katie Francazio (Cranston, R.I.) winning in straight-sets.

Bryant will travel to Holy Cross on Wednesday for a non-conference match at 3 pm.

Bryant University 7, Albany 0
Singles competition
1. Claudia Hidalgo (BRYW) def. Susan Ma (ALBANY) 4-6, 6-2, 10-2
2. Lucy Bird (BRYW) def. Laine Mackey (ALBANY) 6-2, 6-1
3. Stephanie Smyers (BRYW) def. Aubrey Brooks (ALBANY) 6-3, 6-3
4. Jessica Vickers (BRYW) def. Sarah Iannone (ALBANY) 6-1, 6-2
5. Valeria Couto Cuervo (BRYW) def. Melissa Coughlin (ALBANY) 6-0, 6-4
6. Katie Francazio (BRYW) def. Rachel Drake (ALBANY) 6-1, 6-0 

Doubles competition
1. Brooks/ Ma (ALBANY) def. Vickers/ Couto Cuervo (BRYW) 8-6
2. Bird/ Smyers (BRYW) def. Coughlin/ Mackey (ALBANY) 8-1
3. Hidalgo/ Rodriguez (BRYW) def. Iannone/ Drake (ALBANY) 8-2