WEST WINDSOR, New Jersey – The Marist women's tennis team defeated the Siena Saints, 4-1, Saturday afternoon in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference semifinals at Mercer County Park. With the win the Red Foxes advance to the championship game tomorrow against Quinnipiac at 2 p.m.
The doubles point proved huge for momentum as the Red Foxes won a pair of tightly contested doubles matches to clinch the 1-0 lead. Siena's Rina Sakai and Julia Dunbar struck first for the Saints as they defeated Melissa Carlay and Lisa Ventimiglia, 6-1.
On the adjoined court the Red Foxes picked up a much needed doubles win when Caroline Lozo and Ariel Shulman defeated Siena's Allysa Singh and Natalie Weaver, 6-4.
In the lone match left Karlene Pang and Chloe Lant battled through a match with Siena's Ali Garrity and Mitsuki Fukamachi, eventually emerging victorious with a 7-6 (7-5) win over the Saint's duo.
In singles play the Red Foxes weren't truly threatened although numerous matches were close before matches end. Pang won the first match for Marist defeating Siena's Garrity, 6-1, 6-2.
Siena pulled the overall match score to 2-1 as Fukamachi defeated Lant, 6-2, 6-4. The Red Foxes closed out the match after winning concurrent matches at the fifth and sixth singles spots.
Elizabeth Brozovich won her first match of the day, beating Siena's Julia Dunbar, 6-3, 6-3, and then Claire Schmitz clinched the victory defeating the Saint's Weaver, 6-2, 7-5.
The Red Foxes moves on to face a Quinnipiac team that beat them 6-1 in conference play just under two weeks ago. Marist will be in pursuit of their fifth overall conference title and first since 2013.
Full Results
Doubles
1. Karlene Pang/Chloe Lant (MARW) def. Ali Garrity/Mitsuki Fukamachi (SIEW) 7-6 (7-5)
2. Caroline Lozo/Ariel Shulman (MARW) def. Allysa Singh/Natalie Weaver (SIEW) 6-4
3. Rina Sakai/Julia Dunbar (SIEW) def. Melissa Carlay/Lisa Ventimiglia (MARW) 6-1
Singles
1. Karlene Pang (MARW) def. Ali Garrity (SIEW) 6-1, 6-2
2. Rina Sakai (SIEW) vs. Caroline Lozo (MARW) 6-3, 2-6, unfinished
3. Mitsuki Fukamachi (SIEW) def. Chloe Lant (MARW) 6-2, 6-4
4. Allysa Singh (SIEW) vs. Ariel Shulman (MARW) 6-2, 5-7, 1-1, unfinished
5. Claire Schmitz (MARW) def. Natalie Weaver (SIEW) 6-2, 7-5
6. Elizabeth Brozovich (MARW) def. Julia Dunbar (SIEW) 6-3, 6-3
