Box Score
WASHINGTON, DC—The University of Scranton women’s tennis team is now one win away from repeating as Landmark Conference champions.
Behind two wins by freshman Emily Walsh (Scranton, Pa./Scranton Preparatory), the Royals pulled out a 5-3 victory over Catholic University to move into Saturday’s championship match against the winner of #4 Juniata/#1 Goucher at the site of the highest seed remaining in the tournament.
Scranton, which won its third straight match to improve to 8-7, avenged a 6-3 loss to the Cardinals on April 6.
This time, the Royals jumped out early, building up a 2-1 lead after doubles, as Walsh and junior Devon Cohen (Ambler, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) downed Ritamarie Holden and Caitlin Power, 8-2, and sophomore Megan Azzalina (Easton, Pa./Notre Dame) and senior Lindsay Ward (Bensalem, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) turned back Isabel Tanco and Andie Ingram, 8-6, at the number two and three spots in the lineup, respectively. Cohen and Walsh are now 7-5 as a doubles team this year while Azzalina and Ward are 4-4.
Walsh, who has won two straight and eight of her last nine singles matches, picked up another point with a straight set 6-2, 6-3 victory over Elaina Sceusa at four. She is now 9-5 in singles this year, including a 6-0 mark against Landmark Conference opponents.
The Royals wrapped it up with wins by sophomores Nicole Mahaffey (Harrisburg, Pa./Trinity) and Lisa-Marie Lanciotti (Northport, NY/Kings Park) at the number five and six, respectively. Mahaffey won in three sets, out-lasting Porter, 6-2, 2-6, 6-2, and Lanciotti downed Emma Needham, 7-5, 6-4. Mahaffey has won seven of her last 10 singles matches to improve to 8-7 on the season and 16-12 in her career, while Lanciotti is now 7-2 on the year.
The Royals, who won their first-ever Landmark title last year and advanced to the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history, have beaten both Goucher and Juniata earlier this year. On April 4, Scranton downed Juniata, 6-3, in Huntingdon and handed Goucher its first conference loss this past Sunday at the Royal Courts, 6-3.
The results of today’s match are as follows:
University of Scranton 5, Catholic University 3
Doubles
1. Margie Selinger/Elizabeth Harvey (C) def. Stephanie Boccuzzi/Nicole Mahaffey, 8-3
2. Devon Cohen/Emily Walsh (S) def. Ritamarie Holden/Caitlin Porter, 8-2
3. Megan Azzalina/Lindsay Ward (S) def. Isabel Tanco/Andie Ingram, 8-6
Singles
1. Margie Selinger (C) def. Stephanie Boccuzzi, 6-2, 6-0
2. Elizabeth Harvey (C) def. Devon Cohen, 6-2, 7-5
3. Ritamarie Holden (C) vs. Megan Azzalina , 6-4, 6-5, unfinished
4. Emily Walsh (S) def. Elaina Sceusa, 6-2, 6-3
5. Nicole Mahaffey (S) def. Caitlin Porter, 6-2, 2-6, 6-2
6. Lisa-Marie Lanciotti (S) def. Emma Needham, 7-5, 6-4
Match Notes:
University of Scranton 8-7
Catholic University 14-4
--ROYALS--
