NCAA TOURNAMENT: Wilkes University Edges Endicott, 5-3

Endicott

Wilkes University

Doubles

Maxine Bergstein / Mackenzie Rhodes (ECW)
def. Kendra Croker / Jordan Vasarkovy (WUWT)

8-4

Taylor Hoffmann / Julia Baranov (WUWT)
def. Hayley Barnett / Margot Andreasen (ECW)

9-7

Madison Salmon / Olivia Hewison (WUWT)
def. Reilly Fitzgibbons / Lauren Rahr (ECW)

8-2

Singles

Kendra Croker (WUWT)
def. Hayley Barnett (ECW)

6-2, 4-6, 6-4

Jordan Vasarkovy (WUWT)
def. Margot Andreasen (ECW)

6-3, 6-1

Reilly Fitzgibbons (ECW)
def. Madison Salmon (WUWT)

6-2, 6-4

Taylor Hoffmann (WUWT)
def. Gillian Freter (ECW)

6-1, 6-1

Maxine Bergstein (ECW)
def. Erin Volutza (WUWT)

6-1, 6-4

Grace Graham (WUWT)
def. Mackenzie Rhodes (ECW)

FINAL - UNFINISHED

full stats

Posted: May 13, 2016

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – The Endicott women's tennis team fell to Wilkes University by a 5-3 score on Friday evening in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on the campus of Williams College. Today's match was played indoors in the Lansing Chapman Rink due to inclement weather.

With the win, Wilkes University (21-2) will play Williams College tomorrow in the second round at 2 p.m. The Ephs are the defending NCAA champions, and have also won seven out of the last eight NCAA titles. Endicott sees its 2015-16 season come to a close at 14-5 overall.

The Gulls claimed the first point in the match with a decisive 8-4 win by their number one doubles pairing of Maxine Bergstein (Hingham, Mass.) and Mackenzie Rhodes (Rye, N.H.), who topped Kendra Coker (Old Forge, Pa.) and Jordan Vasarkovy (Toms River, N.J.).

Wilkes, however, came back to even the match at one-all with an 8-2 win at No. 3 doubles by Madison Salmon (Endicott, N.Y.) and Olivia Hewison (Port Crane, N.Y.) over Reilly Fitzgibbons (Killingworth, Conn.) and Lauren Rahr (Waterford, Conn.).

The Colonels then claimed a 2-1 advantage at the conclusion of doubles play as Taylor Hoffmann (Huntingdon Valley, Pa.) and Julia Baranov (Huntingdon Valley, Pa.) overcame Hayley Barnett (Marlboro, N.J.) and Margot Andreasen (Portland, Maine) by a 9-7 score in the No. 2 slot.

In singles play, Hoffman went on to defeat Gillian Freter (Scituate, Mass.) at the No. 4 position by a 6-1, 6-1 score to give the Colonels a 3-1 lead, and three straight wins. Vasarkovy followed with a 6-3, 6-1 victory at No. 2 over Andreasen to make it 4-1, and stretch Wilkes' streak to four, but the Gulls fought back with consecutive wins at No. 3 and No. 5 to cut into the deficit at 4-3.

Fitzgibbons claimed a 6-2, 6-4 triumph over Salmon in the No. 3 slot, while Bergstein responded for Endicott with a 6-1, 6-4 victory at No. 5. However, immediately after Bergstein notched her win over Erin Volutza (Sinking Spring, Pa.), Croker defeated Barnett in three sets, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 to lift the Colonels to their 5-3 win and into the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

Despite the loss, Endicott made its fifth straight NCAA Tournament appearance today.
Wilkes has now won 10 matches in a row dating back to April 6.
Endicott is 78-24 (.765) over its last five seasons.
The Colonels, who have competed in the NCAA Tournament for the last 10 seasons, are 181-24 (.883) during that span.
Bergstein and Rhodes wrap up their 2015-16 campaign with a 9-8 record in doubles play (all at No. 1).
Fitzgibbons improved to 11-5 in singles (8-3 at No. 3).
Bergstein is now 10-3 in singles, including 7-2 at No. 5.

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