4/6/2002
Georgetown?s women?s tennis team hosted BIG EAST rivals Connecticut and Pittsburgh this past weekend. The Hoyas lost on Saturday, April 6 to Connecticut 5-2 but turned around and defeated Pittsburgh the next day 4-3.
On Saturday afternoon, Georgetown entertained the UConn Huskies on the Georgetown Outdoor Tennis Complex courts. The Hoyas brought a BIG EAST Conference record of 2-0 into the match and were hoping to continue building a solid record for a BIG EAST Conference Championships berth. But Connecticut had other ideas in an amazingly close match.
In the doubles competition the Hoyas were able to stake themselves to a 1-0 lead with superb performances from the #1 and #2 doubles teams. At #1 Caroline Marshall (Pittsford, N.Y./Harley) and Chelsea Kammerer (Deerfield, Ill./ (Michigan)) started strongly and finished strongly to down Trinell Russell and Natalie Tirapelli 8-3. At #2 the freshman duo of Liddy Bartell (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif./Torrey Pines) and singles Trina Snow (Sartell, Minn./Sartell) edged Colleen Connors and Barbara Schmusky 9-7. UConn claimed the #3 doubles match as Jordan Botjer (Miami, Fla./Ransom Everglades) and Monisha Ghia (Bethlehem, Pa.) fell 8-5 to Whitney Simcik and Jen LoRusso.
In singles the Hoyas were upstaged at the #1 and #3 position as Liora Gelblum (Cupertina, Calif./Monta Vista) fell to the top Huskie, Trinell Russell 6-1, 6-3 and Botjer was downed in a well played #3 match by Tirapelli 6-2,6-3. Bartell came through with a sterling performance, edging Simcik 7-5,6-2 in the #2 singles match. Snow had gained a margin for herself against Schumsky in the #4 singles match-up, but Snow was unable to prevail falling 2-6,6-1,6-1. Connecticut had overturned the 1-0 lead the Hoyas had after the doubles competition and had taken a 3-2 lead with two matches left to play. Hoya hopes to hold UConn off were high as Lara Madonia (Ramsey, N.J./Immaculate Heart Academy) took her first set from Connors 6-4 and Marshall rebounded from a slow first set start to win her second set. But Connecticut finished strongly in the three remaining sets. Madonia lost the #6 match 6-4,4-6,6-0 and Marshall lost the #5 match 6-2,2-6,6-2. Connecticut won the #4, #5 and #6 matches in three set battles to claim a 5-2 victory over the host Hoyas.
On Sunday morning April 7 the Hoyas moved indoors to take on BIG EAST Conference foe Pittburgh at the Montclair Tennis Bubble in Dumfries, Va. The Hoyas made a solid effort in the doubles competition that opened the match, but Pittsburgh prevailed taking two of three matches. In the #3 doubles match, Georgetown came out on fire and Botjer and Ghia downed Fiore and Hughes 8-1. The #1 and #2 doubles matches saw Pitt on top as Marshall and Kammerer dropped an 8-6 decision to Jill Williams and Nikki Borza and Bartell and Snow drop an 8-6 decision to Laura Pegula and Brooke Yablonski.
Pittsburgh was on top 1-0 as singles began. In the first match to finish Snow dropped Fiore 6-0,6-2 to knot the team score at 1-1. Botjer then fell to Pegula 6-3,6-4 in the #3 singles match and Pitt jumped ahead 2-1 in the team score. Bartell answered with another solid start to finish performance holding off Borza 7-5,6-3 at #2 singles to get the Hoyas back to a 2-2 tie with Pitt. Marshall dispatched Yablonski 6-2,6-2 at #5 singles to hike the Hoya team tally to three matches to Pitt's two. The focus of the team match went to the remaining two matches on courts as Gelblum continued a lengthy battle against Williams in the #1 match and Madonia took on Hughes in the #6 match. Gelblum hung on for dear life in a tersely fought three hour, three set match, fighting off leg cramps in the final stages of the third set to prevail 7-6(4),4-6,6-4 and claim the Hoyas fourth and
clinching team point. Madonia ended the day as she fell in straight sets 6-3,6-2. Georgetown bounced back from the tough loss to UConn the previous afternoon to edge Pitt 4-3.
The Hoyas have two matches remaining on their 2002 season slate as they continue their quest for a berth in the 2002 BIG EAST Conference Championship Tournament. On Friday afternoon Georgetown hosts a West Virginia squad that has suffered myriad injuries and will be able to send only five players. The closing dual match of the season finds Georgetown hosting Conference rival Rutgers on Saturday afternoon.
Women's Tennis vs ConnecticutSaturday April 6, 2002Georgetown Outdoor Tennis ComplexDoubles#1 Caroline Marshall/Chelsea Kammerer d. Trinell Russell/Natalie Tirapelli(UC) 8-3#2 Liddy Bartell/Trina Snow d. Colleen Connors/Barbara Schumsky(UC) 9-7#3 Jordan Botjer/Monisha Ghia l. Whitney Simcik/Jen LoRusso(UC) 8-5Score from the doubles competition- Georgetown-1, Connecticut-0Singles#1 Liora Gelblum l. Trinell Russell(UC) 6-1,6-3#2 Liddy Bartell d. Whitney Simcik(UC) 7-5,6-2#3 Jordan Botjer l. Natalie Tirapelli(UC) 6-2,6-3#4 Trina Snow l. Barbara Schumsky(UC) 2-6,6-1,6-1#5 Caroline Marshall l. Jen LoRusso(UC) 6-2,2-6,6-2#6 Lara Madonia l. Colleen Connors(UC) 4-6,6-4,6-0Score from the singles competition- Georgetown-1, Connecticut-5Final Score- Georgetown-2, Connecticut-5
Women's Tennis vs PittsburghSunday April 7, 2002Montclair Tennis Club, Dumfries, VADoubles#1 Caroline Marshall/Chelsea Kammerer l. Jill Williams/Nikki Borza(UP) 8-6#2 Liddy Bartell/Trina Snow l. Laura Pegula/Brooke Yablonski(UP) 8-6#3 Jordan Botjer/Monisha Ghia d. Jena Fiore/Haley Hughes(UP) 8-1Score from the doubles competition- Georgetown-0, Pittsburgh-1Singles#1 Liora Gelblum d. Jill Williams(UP) 7-6(4),4-6,6-4#2 Liddy Bartell d. Nikk Borza(UP) 7-5,6-3#3 Jordan Botjer l. Laura Pegula(UP) 6-3,6-4#4 Trina Snow d. Jena Fiore(UP) 6-0,6-2#5 Caroline Marshall d. Brooke Yablonski(UP) 6-2,6-2#6 Lara Madonia l. Haley Hughes(UP) 6-3,6-2Score from the singles competition- Georgetown-4, Pittsburgh-2Final Score- Georgetown-4, Pittsburgh-3
