Women's Tennis Downs Southern Maine, 7-2

GORHAM, Maine -- The visiting Bridgewater State University Bears won their third straight women's tennis match Wednesday taking a 7-2 decision from the University of Southern Maine Huskies in Little East Conference action at the Costello Sports Complex. The match was moved indoors to avoid any possible issues with weather.

The Bears improved to 5-4 overall and 3-1 in the Little East. The Huskies dropped their third straight match to slip to 3-4 overall and 1-3 in conference action.

Bridgewater State won two of the three doubles matches to grab an early 2-1 lead. Junior Angelique Gray (Osterville, Mass.) and senior Rachel Tarantino (Mansfield, Mass.) broke in the 14th game to take an 8-6 win at the top doubles flight, while sophomore Olivia Sweeney (Taunton, Mass.) and freshman Vanessa Rosa (Taunton, Mass.) cruised to an 8-0 triumph at number three.

Sweeney, Tarantino, Gray, Rosa and senior Emily McGrath (North Dartmouth, Mass.) won the second through sixth singles matches, respectively, to cement the victory for the Bears. Sweeney (6-4, 6-1), Tarantino (6-1, 7-6 [7-4]), Gray (6-0, 6-1) and McGrath (6-4, 6-3) all won in straight sets. Rosa posted an 8-6 pro set win at number five.

For Southern Maine, junior Samantha Harden (Turner, Maine/Leavitt Area) had a hand in both points.  Harden teamed with senior Joanna Scheidegger (Lyss, Switzerland) to take an 8-5 decision at second doubles. Harden returned to win a 6-4, 6-3 decision at number one singles.

Southern Maine is back in action this Saturday (12 p.m.) when it travels to Castleton University for a Little East Conference match.  Bridgewater State hosts Rhode Island College in an LEC match on Saturday (12 p.m.).