Women's Tennis Falls to WestConn in Little East Quarterfinals

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Sixth-seeded Western Connecticut State University stunned #3 seed Bridgewater State University, 5-4, in the quarterfinal round of the 2023 Little East Conference (LEC) Women's Tennis Tournament on Wednesday afternoon at the Rosen Memorial Tennis Courts. The match was originally scheduled for Tuesday afternoon but play was suspended due to rain forcing WestConn to make the trek to Bridgewater on consecutive days.

The Wolves (8-6) advance to the semifinal round and will head to Rhode Island College tomorrow afternoon to take on the second-seeded Anchorwomen at three o'clock. The Bears end the season with an overall record of 9-5.

WestConn trailed 2-1 after doubles competition but rallied to take four of the six singles flight to win the match.

In doubles play, BSU junior Madeline Von Ruden (Ashley Falls, Mass.) and graduate student Mackenzie Silveira (Middletown, R.I.) teamed for an 8-6 win at number one while senior Allison Carter (Raynham, Mass.) and junior Meghan Lotti (Stoneham, Mass.) paired up for n 8-5 triumph at the second flight.

The Wolves, who were swept in doubles play during a 5-4 regular season setback to the Bears, picked up a crucial point with an 8-2 decision by the third flight doubles pairing of junior Sarah Cipriano (Watertown, Conn.) and senior Natalie Paradise (Naugatuck, Conn).

A 6-1, 6-3 straight set win by WestConn junior Diana Rebelo (Naugatuck, Conn.) at number four singles evened the match before junior Meghan Lotti (Stoneham, Mass.) reclaimed the lead for the Bears with a 6-4, 6-0 straight set triumph at the fifth flight.

Closely contested straight set wins by junior Melanie Grasso (New Fairfield, Conn.) at the second flight (7-5, 6-4) and junior Bodhi Kitt (Norwalk, Conn.) at number one (7-5, 6-4) gave the visitors a 4-3 lead.

BSU freshman Samantha Bettencourt (Tiverton, R.I.) knotted the match at 4-4 with a 6-4, 7-5 straight set victory at #6 singles.

Cipriano then secured the decisive fifth point for the Wolves as she battled back from a set down to post a 5-7, 6-1, 6-4 decision at the third flight.

Notes: Bettencourt went 11-3 in singles play during her rookie campaign...Lotti finished the year with a 10-4 singles mark...Lotti and Carter went 12-6 in doubles competition.