Corsairs Sweep WestConn, 9-0

DANBURY, Conn. – The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth women's tennis team posted a 9-0 victory over WestConn Saturday afternoon to complete the regular season. With the victory, the Corsairs clinched the fifth seed in the upcoming 2021 Little East Conference Women's Tennis Championship.
 
UMass Dartmouth will travel to fourth-seeded UMass Boston on Tuesday, October 19 in the quarterfinal round. The Beacons edged the Corsairs, 5-4, in their regular-season meeting on October 9. Rhode Island College earned the top seed and home court advantage in the six-team tournament field.

"It was great to have a 3-0 lead after doubles," said Head Coach Doug Chapman. "First doubles trailed 3-6 and ran off five straight games to complete the doubles sweep, then we took care of business in the singles. After being away for a year, it is a significant accomplishment that the team was able to complete the regular season with a winning record. The players have developed a great team culture and they have worked very hard to have a solid season."
 
The Corsairs top doubles tandem of seniors Yasemin Kurtis and Emma Sokolovsky earned their first victory of the campaign, defeating the Colonials top-flight duo of first-year Melanie Grasso and classmate Sarah Cipriano, 8-6. Senior Jackie Bokis and junior Alanna O'Connell collected a decisive victory at No. 2 doubles with an 8-2 decision over first-years Sophie Charbonneau and Diana Rebello. UMass Dartmouth completed the doubles sweep, when sophomore Ailey Riddick and senior Jordan Beals defeated senior Mackenzie Riofrio and classmate Maria Madden, 8-4.
 
UMass Dartmouth continued to ride the momentum into the singles competition, winning five of the six matches in straight sets. Kurtis evened her overall record at top-flight singles with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Cipriano. Sokolovsky won the opening set 6-1 at No. 2 singles, but Grasso battled back to take the second frame 6-2 and force a tie-breaker. Unfazed, Sokolovsky responded with a 10-6 win to capture the contest. Bokis overpowered Rebelo 6-2, 6-1 at third-flight singles, while O'Connell posted a 6-4, 6-2 win at No. 4 singles. Riddick earned a 6-4, 6-4 victory at No. 5 singles, while junior McKenzie Ferrari completed the sweep with a 7-6, 6-2 decision.
 
WestConn closed the regular-season with a 3-11 overall record, including a 2-6 mark in the conference circuit.