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Box Score 2 Bulldogs stay unbeaten in NEC by downing Sacred Heart; fall to Albany over the weekend
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University women's tennis team split a pair of dual matches over the weekend, as the Bulldogs remained unbeaten in conference play with a convincing 5-2 victory over Sacred Heart University while falling by an identical score on Saturday on the road against the University at Albany.
After the weekend, the Bulldogs improve to 9-4 on the season and 3-0 in Northeast Conference play. Albany moved to an even 8-8 on the year after Saturday's decision while the Pioneers dropped to 6-8 overall with a 2-1 league record.
On Saturday, the Bulldogs made the trek to Albany and were forced to adjust to the fast play of the indoor courts due to the inclement weather. The Great Danes jumped out to a 1-0 advantage after taking the doubles point with wins at the #1 and #2 flights, while freshmen doubles partners Devlin-Ann Ammendola (Massapequa, N.Y.) and Rosie Bird (Hamilton, New Zealand) continued their success together with an 8-6 victory in the No. 3 spot. The result marked the third straight win for the doubles pair, and their record as partners now stands at 6-2 on the year.
In singles, the Great Danes took 4-of-6 flights to secure the victory. Ammendola notched the win at #2 singles in an impressive comeback win. The rookie made key adjustment after falling behind 3-6 and stormed back to take the second set in a tiebreaker before prevailing by the final score of 3-6; 7-6 (5); 6-4. Bird rounded out the group with a single-set, goose-egg (8-0) win at #6 singles to pick up the Bulldogs' only other point.
On Sunday, Bryant returned home and turns its sights toward keeping its league record unblemished, and the Bulldogs did just that with a convincing victory against the visiting Pioneers.
The crucial doubles point came down to Ammendola and Bird once again, as Bryant's #2 pair of Claudia Hidalgo (Guayaquil, Ecuador) and Marcela Brandao (Santo Andre, Brazil) cruised to an 8-1 win while Sacred Heart drew even with an 8-3 victory at the #1 flight.
Trailing by a 4-1 deficit, Ammendola and Bird responded by taking six of the next seven games to move ahead, 7-5. After SHU pulled to within one, the duo closed the door to prevail by an 8-6 margin at #3 doubles to give the Bulldogs the first point of the match.
Moving to singles, both Bird and sophomore Stephanie Smyers (Pittsburgh, Pa.) made quick work of their opponents in identical 6-1; 6-1 victories at the #6 and #5 flights, respectively. Ahead 3-0, Sacred Heart got a win at #1 singles before Brandao clinched the win with a 6-0; 6-4 victory in the #2 flight.
Other highlights included a strong win (6-4; 6-3) by sophomore May Vickers (Montrose, Colo.) in the longest bout of the day at #4 singles, while Ammendola was edged in one of the most exciting matches of the day against Kate Donnelly, as the Pioneer prevailed, 4-6; 6-0 (10-8), in the #3 singles match.
The Bulldogs will look to stay unbeaten in conference play with an important match looming against preseason second-ranked Fairleigh Dickinson this weekend in Teaneck, N.J. Bryant will battle the Knights on Saturday (April 7) at 10:30 a.m. in its only match of the week.
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Albany 5, Bryant 2
Doubles
- Gherman/Lopez Alberca def. Lucy Bird/Smyers 8-3
- Scott/Kukkonen def. Brandao/Hidalgo 8-6
- Ammendola/Rosie Bird def. Iannone/Brooks 8-6
Singles
- Lopez Alberca def. Hidalgo 6-3; 6-4
- Ammendola def. Gherman 3-6; 7-6 (5); 6-4
- Scott def. Brandao 6-4; 1-6; 6-2
- Iannone def. Vickers 6-4; 5-6; 1-0
- Brooks def. Smyers 6-3; 6-4
- Rosie Bird def. White 8-0
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Bryant 5, Sacred Heart 2
Doubles
- Donnelly/Chao def. Lucy Bird/Smyers 8-3
- Brandao/Hidalgo def. Kaldan/Downing 8-1
- Ammendola/Rosie Bird def. Rydzewski/Legenza 8-6
Singles
- Kaldan def. Hidalgo 6-1; 6-1
- Brandao def. Rydzewski 6-0; 6-4
- Donnelly def. Ammendola 4-6; 6-0; 10-8
- Vickers def. Chao 6-4; 6-3
- Smyers def. Downing 6-1; 6-1
- Rosie Bird def. Legenza 6-1; 6-1
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For continuing coverage of Bryant University women's tennis, check back online at www.bryantbulldogs.com; also follow the Bulldogs on Twitter @BryantAthletics.
