The Slippery Rock women’s tennis team suffered a close defeat against the West Virginia State Yellow Jackets (14-3). The loss puts the team a match below .500 (7-8) for the year.
Rock head coach Matt Meredith knew it was going to be close.
“It is going to be a close match-up. Coming out strong in doubles will be a crucial factor in deciding the outcome of this match,” Meredith said.
To begin the evening, the women started off strong in doubles play with a win of 8-5 by sophomore Nina Barbano and freshman Amanda Bruscemi against the Yellow Jacket’s Laura Isbey and Diana Cotoros. SRU juniors Kylee Woodman and Stephanie Fortier were victorious over Brenda Cumpa and Kayla McKnight with a final score of 8-3.
However, the Yellow Jackets were not going to go out quietly. In the final doubles match, junior Tiffany Kollah and sophomore Carla Corrochano Moracho were defeated by West Virginia State’s Brittany Franvo and Nina Dillwald with a score of 8-3.
Barbano continued her strong season with a 6-4, 6-1 win in second singles against Laura Isbey. The win gave Barbano her 12th of the season. She currently leads the team in wins.
Kollah was taken down by Dillwad 6-0 and Franco overcame Corrochano 6-1, 6-3 in third and first singles. Fortier was victorious in the fifth flight 6-4, 6-3 over the Yellow Jacket’s Cotoros.
Freshman Allie Welch was handed defeat by McKnight in the sixth slot 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 while West Virginia’s Charlotte Sandy just narrowly bested Bruscemi in the fourth flight 6-3, 4-6, 6-2.
“I definitely learned a lot from this match. Since it ended up being a close match, I was able to figure out the things that I need to improve upon to get ready for Edinboro,” Welch said. “Right now, Edinboro is our primary focus. All our practice and hard work needs to be on preparing to take on the Fighting Scots.”
