BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The visiting UMass Boston women's tennis team edged Bridgewater State University, 5-4, in a Little East Conference match on Tuesday afternoon at the Rosen Memorial Tennis Courts.
The Beacons improve to 9-1 on the season and 4-1 in the Little East, while the host Bears fall to 4-7 overall and 3-3 in conference play.
The Beacons led 2-1 after doubles play. The top-flight pairing of freshman Amy Drame (Milwaukee, Mass) and senior Katie Gauthier (West Boylston, Mass.) cruised to an 8-1 victory, while freshman Evangelia Vassiliadis (Weymouth, Mass.) and sophomore Chloe Gates (Plymouth, Mass.) won in a tie-breaker at number three, 8-7 (7-3).
BSU grad student Rachel Tarantino (Mansfield, Mass.) and senior Angelique Gray (Barnstable, Mass.) picked up the Bears' lone double point in a tie-breaker at the third flight, 8-7 (7-1).
Straight set wins by sophomore Vanessa Rosa (Taunton, Mass.) at fourth singles (6-0, 6-0) and Gray at number five (6-4, 6-1) put Bridgewater State on top, 3-2. Drame tied it with a 6-4, 6-2 straight decision at the top spot before BSU junior Olivia Sweeney (Taunton, Mass.) came back from a set down to put the Bears back in front with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 win at the second flight.
Freshman Shelby Parent (Cambridge, Mass.) knotted the score at 4-4 with a 7-6 (7-3), 6-1 triumph at number six. Vassiliadis then earned the match victory for the Beacons with a tightly contested 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) win at the third flight.
The Little East schedule continues for both team on Saturday afternoon. The Bears travel to Worcester State University for a noontime match with the Lancers, while the Beacons entertain the Corsairs of UMass Dartmouth at one.