Women's Tennis Edges Simmons, 4-3

By Jim Fenton

BRIGHTON , Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University women's tennis team ended a two-match losing streak on Tuesday afternoon.

The Bears edged Simmons University, 4-3, at the Daly Field Athletic Complex in the first meeting between the two programs.

BSU improved to 3-4 while the Sharks, a member of the North Atlantic Conference, fell to 4-5 with their third loss in a row.

It was the first road match of the season for the Bears after six straight at home.

BSU took two of the three doubles matches, then split the six singles matches with Simmons.

Winning at No. 2 doubles for the Bears was the duo of sophomore Morgan Smith (Taunton, Mass.) and sophomore Sarah Pothier (Rochester, Mass.). They defeated junior Emilie Lapointe (Clinton, Mass.) and junior Emma Parsons (Pembroke, N.H.), 6-2.

The team of junior Samantha Bettencourt (Tiverton, R.I.) and junior Fiona Clancy (Middleboro, Mass.) won a 6-1 decision over junior Grace Burke (Delmar, N.Y.) and freshman Katelyn Bruce (Woodstock, Conn.) at No. 3 doubles.

Simmons took No. 1 doubles as sophomore Masha Shutts (Wellesley, Mass.) and sophomore Amoli Vad (New York, N.Y.) won over sophomore Emma Gibney (New Bedford, Mass.) and sophomore Aislyn Kelliher (Plymouth, Mass.), 6-2.

The singles winners for BSU included Pothier, Bettencourt and sophomore Ava Alves (Taunton, Mass.).

Pothier, at No. 4, posted a 6-4, 6-2 match-clinching victory over Burke.

Bettencourt was a 6-0, 6-0 winner at No. 5 over Parsons while Alves stopped Bruce, 6-0, 6-0.

Simmons won No. 1 singles, 6-0, 6-0, as Shutts defeated Gibney.

At No. 2 singles, Lapointe won over Kelliher, 6-4, 6-1, and Vad was the winner at No. 3 singles, 6-3, 6-2, over Smith.

The Bears will take part in the Grass Court Doubles Tournament on Thursday at 11:30 a.m. at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I.

Simmons will go against Vermont State Johnson at noon on Saturday.