BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Bridgewater State University has been selected as the Little East women’s tennis preseason favorite, according to the 2012 preseason coaches’ poll released this afternoon by the conference office. The Bears earned seven of the nine first place votes and 79 total points to sit atop the nine-team field.
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth produced 63 total points to finish second in the preseason survey, while Plymouth State University registered 58 markers to place third. Salem State University has been projected to finish fourth in the conference race after earning the remaining two first place tallies and 54 points.
Bridgewater State is making its debut atop the preseason coaches’ poll after capturing the program’s second-straight regular-season championship in 2011. Last season, Barry Gorman guided the Bears to their fourth consecutive campaign with at least 12 victories, posting an overall record of 12-2. Gorman is the program’s all-time winningest coach as he has posted an impressive 50-12 (.806) mark over his first four seasons.
In 2011, Bridgewater State secured the Little East regular-season title on the strength of an unblemished 8-0 mark to earn the top-seed in the conference championship tournament. The Bears made the program’s fourth appearance in the Little East Championship match after defeating UMass Dartmouth in the semifinals. Bridgewater State was upset in an epic championship match by Salem State, 5-4.
In 2012, Gorman will welcome four starters and eight student-athletes back into the fold from the 2011 squad. Junior Jenna Williamson (Ludlow, Mass.) will set the tone for the Bears at top-flight singles and doubles. The 2011 Little East Player of the Year defeated each of her eight conference opponents at No. 1 singles en route to posting an overall record of 12-2. Williamson is 26-3 over her first two seasons in singles play including a 16-0 record versus LEC opponents. She has also produced a 24-11 mark (12-4 LEC) in doubles.
Senior Ashley Pereira (Assonet, Mass.) and sophomores Rachael Eramo (Rowley, Mass.) and Melissa Flynn (Stoneham, Mass.) also return to the lineup in 2012.
Pereira went 8-5 at fourth singles with a 6-2 Little East record. She teamed with Williamson at top flight doubles to post an 11-5 mark and earned All-LEC Second Team honors by going 7-1 versus conference opponents. Flynn was selected to the All-Little East First Team in 2011 as she finished 12-2 at sixth singles and was unbeaten in eight matches against conference foes. Flynn and Eramo paired up at third doubles and finished 10-6 overall and 6-2 in the Little East. Eramo competed in singles play at the fifth spot and went 9-5 (6-2 LEC).
The 2012 season gets underway on Sunday, September 4th when the Bears host Johnson & Wales University at 3:30 PM. Bridgewater will entertain Plymouth State University on Saturday, September 8th at 1:00 PM in their first conference match of the season.
The top-six teams in the final regular-season standings advance to the 2012 Little East Women’s Tennis Championship with the top-two teams earning a first-round bye and home court advantage in the semifinal round. The Little East championship match will be held on Saturday, October 20th at the highest remaining seed. The conference champion will earn the automatic qualifier into the NCAA Division III Tournament.