Women's Tennis Advances to Little East Championship Match

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Second-seeded Bridgewater State University posted a 5-1 win over #3 Plymouth State University in the semifinal round of the 2021 Little East Conference (LEC) Women's Tennis Tournament on Thursday afternoon at the Rosen Memorial Tennis Courts.

Winners of 11 straight matches, the Bears (13-2) advance to the tournament championship match for the tenth time since the Little East changed to the current format back in 2008. Bridgewater State will travel to Rhode Island College on Saturday afternoon to take on the top-seeded Anchorwomen at noon. Plymouth State ends the season with an overall record of 11-5.

Bridgewater led 3-0 after sweeping the doubles competition. Freshman Madeline Von Ruden (Ashley Falls, Mass.) and sophomore Abigail Ramer (Sherwood Ore.) posted an 8-6 decision at the top spot, while graduate student Olivia Sweeney (Taunton, Mass.) and senior Vanessa Rosa (Taunton, Mass.) teamed up for an 8-2 win at the second flight. The junior tandem of Brianna Venditti (North Smithfield, R.I.) and Mackenzie Silveira (Middletown, R.I.) rounded out the Bears' doubles winners with an 8-3 victory at number three.

Sweeney extended the BSU lead to 4-0 with a 6-0, 6-1 straight set triumph at the second singles flight. After freshman Tessa LaBarre (North Smithfield, R.I.) recorded the Panthers' lone point of the match with a 6-0, 6-4 win at number four to close the gap to 4-1, Venditti secured the fifth and deciding point with a 6-2, 6-0 decision at the fifth flight.

The first, third and sixth singles flights were left unfinished as the match was stopped as soon as the Bears recorded the decisive fifth point. Von Ruden, Rosa and BSU sophomore Allison Carter (Raynham, Mass.) were each up a set in their respective flights when the match ended.

Notes: The Bears also advanced to the Little East championship match six straight years from 2008 to 2013 and three consecutive years from 2015 to 2017...Bridgewater captured the tournament title in 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2016...The Bears' 13 wins this season marks the highest since 2013 (16-2)...The Sweeney/Rosa doubles tandem improved to 9-0 on the season...Venditti (13-2) picked up team-leading 13th singles win of the season.