PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Four players were double winners for the Simmons College tennis team in an 8-1 victory over host Johnson & Wales University this afternoon at the Moses Brown School in a rematch of last season's Great Northeast Athletic Conference Championship. The Sharks win their third straight match to improve to 6-2 overall and a perfect 3-0 in league play, while the Wildcats fall to 6-1 and 1-1.
Simmons took a 3-0 lead after sweeping doubles play. Sophomore Cathy Baker (Simsbury, Conn.) (2-0 singles, 4-1 doubles) improved to a combined 6-1 on the season after pairing with junior Rachael Downey (Groveland, Mass.) 2-5 singles, 5-3 doubles) to win at number two doubles over Emily Glass (Sterling, Conn.) and senior Gabrielle Longo (Philadelphia, Pa.), 8-5. Baker remained perfect in singles action, defeating first year Taylor Klein (Johnson, N.Y.) at number six in three sets. After dropping the first frame, 6-1, Baker battled back to win the following two sets, 6-4, 6-3. The Sharks got wins from their top two singles players, who also teamed to win at first doubles. Junior Meg Cokely (Haverhill, Mass.) (7-1 singles, 3-4 doubles) and sophomore Theresa Reinhard (Canton, Ohio) (3-5 singles, 5-3 doubles) teamed to take the top doubles spot over senior Samantha Jo Borr (Westfield, N.J.) and sophomore Morgan Thompson (Fargo, N.D.), 8-3. Cokely continued to dominate in singles play with a 6-4, 6-4 win at number two singles over Thompson to improve to 7-1, while Reinhard worked hard for a 7-5, 7-5 triumph at first singles over Borr.
Junior Katie Crowley (Reading, Mass.) (5-2 singles, 6-2 doubles) and first year Han DK Le (Vietnam/Matignon HS (Mass.)) (5-2 singles, 2-0 doubles) were also doubles winners for the Sharks. The duo won at third doubles over the host tandem of Klein and senior Stephanie Piperis (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.), 8-6. Crowley won her team-high 11th combined match of the season with a 7-5, 6-3 decision over Glass at fourth singles, while Le took down Longo at fifth singles, 6-2, 6-4.
Piperis was the lone victor in singles play for JWU after a 6-3, 6-3 win over Downey in number three singles.
Simmons returns to the courts on Friday, September 26 when it heads to Williamstown, Mass. to compete in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Tournament hosted by Williams College. The Wildcats will return to action on Monday, September 22nd when they host Becker College in a non-conference contest beginning at 3:30 p.m.