BRIDGEWATER, Mass.  – The Bridgewater State University women's tennis team advanced to the semifinal round of the 2022 Little East Conference (LEC) Tournament as the third-seeded Bears posted a 5-0 victory over #6 Salem State University on Tuesday afternoon at the Rosen Memorial Tennis Courts.

Bridgewater State (9-4) will take on second-seeded Rhode Island College in the tournament semifinals on Thursday afternoon at RIC. Match time has yet to be determined. Salem State ends the 2022 campaign with an overall record of 2-11.

The Bears swept the three doubles matches to jump out to a 3-0 lead. Senior Mackenzie Silveira (Middletown, R.I.) and junior Allison Carter (Raynham, Mass.) cruised to an 8-0 victory at second singles, while sophomore Madeline Von Ruden (Ashley Falls, Mass.) and junior Abigail Ramer (Sherwood, Ore.) teamed up for an 8-1 decision at number one. The sophomore tandem of Meghan Lotti (Stoneham, Mass.) and Rebecca Hamel (Windham, Maine) capped off doubles play with an 8-1 win at the third spot.

Carter breezed to a 6-0, 6-0 straight set win at fourth singles before Von Ruden secured the decisive fifth point with a 6-2, 6-1 victory at number one singles. The remaining singles flights were left unfinished with the Bears up a set in each of the four.

Notes: Bridgewater State is now 19-6 versus Salem State and 10-4 at home since the Bears joined the Little East in 2004…The Bears are 5-1 versus the Vikings in LEC Tournament play…The two teams had not met in the conference tournament for ten years (2012).