Women's Tennis Edged by Worcester State in Little East Opener, 5-4

WORCESTER, Mass. -- The Worcester State University women's tennis team opened Little East Conference (LEC) play on Saturday afternoon with a 5-4 victory over visiting Bridgewater State University on Saturday afternoon.

The host Lancers improve to 2-2 on the season and 1-0 in the Little East, while the visiting Bears fall to 1-3 overall and 0-1 in conference play.

Worcester captured two of the three doubles matches while the two teams split the six singles flights.

With the score tied at 4-4, the match came down to the last singles flight as Worcester sophomore Victoria Konicki (Auburn, Mass.) held off BSU senior Emily McGrath (North Dartmouth, Mass.) in three sets at number six, 6-3, 1-6, 6-4.

The Lancers' received doubles wins from their top flight tandem of sophomores Dominique Alves (Ludlow, Mass.) and Monika Mularski (Auburn, Mass.) and the second flight pairing of freshman Charlotte Mullane (Sterling, Mass.) and sophomore Emma Collings (Marion, Mass.).

Sophomore Olivia Sweeney (Taunton, Mass.) and freshman Vanessa Rosa (Taunton, Mass.) teamed up for an 8-0 victory at third doubles for the Bears.

In singles play, Alves (6-4, 6-2) and Mullane (6-1, 6-0) won in straights sets at the first and third flights, respectively, for Worcester State, while Konicki put the finishing touches on the Lancers' conference victory.

Sweeney picked up a 7-5, 7-5 straight set triumph at the second flight for Bridgewater State, while Rosa also won in straight sets at number five, 6-2, 6-2. BSU junior Angelique Gray (Centerville, Mass.) rounded out the singles winners with a 6-4, 6-1 triumph at the fourth spot.

The Little East schedule continues for both teams on Tuesday afternoon. The Bears travel to UMass Boston to take on the Beacons at three o'clock, while the Lancers head to Castleton University for a four o'clock match with the Spartans.