Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College women's tennis team a day after learning of the death of fellow classmate Alyssa Sialaris an All-American in both volleyball and track & field the Poets still managed to pull off the 6-3 victory over the Regals of Cal Lutheran University Saturday morning.
The Purple & Gold who have had battles over the past couple years with Cal Lutheran earned their second win in their past three matchups. Two years ago the Poets won 6-3 over CLU on the Richard Ettinger Tennis Court but fell the following year in Thousand Oaks 5-4. This time around the Poets avenged their loss despite falling behind 2-1 after doubles.
But the Regals were unable to hold on to the lead as the Poets came back to take five of six singles to win 6-3. The No. 2 duo of Benay Weintraub and Adrienne Hamada grabbed the opening point for WC winning 8-3 to move their record to 10-4 on the season before Liliana Serylo and Maegan Zamilpa dropped a tough 8-3 decision at No. 1 despite leading with a break.
At No. 3, Bree Campanero and Lauren Gelgur led early but saw Carly Mouzes and Lindsay Murphy storm back to win 9-8 (4) in the breaker to give CLU the 2-1 advantage.
Hamada evened the match at two with a quick finish at No. 3 singles winning 6-1, 6-0 to improve to 11-3 in singles play but the Regals regained the lead 3-2 after Emily Werman defeated Serylo at No. 2 6-0, 6-1.
But this would be the final point for CLU as the Poets rattled off four straight wins. Zamilpa moved her record to a team best 12-2 and 3-1 SCIAC play beating Lindsay Murphy 6-0, 6-2 before Campanero got the best of fellow San Diegan Jacqueline Ramsay at No. 5 6-0, 6-3.
Gelgur put together a strong finish winning 6-3, 6-0 over Lauren Toohey at No. 6 before Weintraub grabbed the last point for Whittier at No. 4 pulling out a tough 6-2, 7-5 victory over Mouzes.
Whittier is in action this Friday, April 12 and Saturday, April 13 when they hit the road to take on La Verne and Claremont-M-S. Friday's match is set to begin at 2:00pm and Saturday's at 10:00am.
Doubles:
1. WERMAN, Emily/ BAKER, Sarah (CLU) def. Meagan Zamilpa/ Liliana Serylo (WC) 8-3
2. Adrienne Hamada/ Benay Weintraub (WC) def. RAMSAY, Jacqueline/ TOOHEY, Lauren (CLU) 8-3
3. MOUZES, Carly/ MURPHY, Lindsay (CLU) def. Lauren Gelgur/ Brianna Campanero (WC) 9-8 (4)
Singles:
1. Meagan Zamilpa (WC) def. MURPHY, Lindsay (CLU) 6-0, 6-2
2. WERMAN, Emily (CLU) def. Liliana Serylo (WC) 6-0 6-1
3. Adrienne Hamada (WC) def. BAKER, Sarah (CLU) 6-1, 6-0
4. Benay Weintraub (WC) def. MOUZES, Carly (CLU) 6-2, 7-5
5. Brianna Campanero (WC) def. RAMSAY, Jacqueline (CLU) 6-0, 6-3
6. Lauren Gelgur (WC) def. TOOHEY, Lauren (CLU) 6-3, 6-0
