April 2, 2002
The Siena Saints opened their spring season in unusual fashion Monday with the first NCAA tennis match to be played indoors on the Siena campus. The site of the event was the Marcelle Athletic Complex where 4 courts were set up. The Saints weren't able to make the occasion a complete success as the women dropped the match to Manhattan 4-3.
It was very close all the way as Manhattan took the opening doubles point, winning 2 of the 3 doubles matches. The Saints came right back as Eileen Gallocher won at #5 singles. She had to stave off a late rally by Manhattan's Jessica Kulack to win in straight sets, 6-3, 7-5. Manhattan came right back to take #3 singles as Siena's Brooke Fisher was beaten 6-2, 6-4 by Shaleen Dastur to take a 2-1 lead.
Siena's Silent Assassin, Andrea Disponzio tied the score with a 3 set victory at #2 singles, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, only to see Manhattan regain the lead by taking #4 singles in straight sets. Betsy Brookins' 6-2, 6-1 win at #6 singles pulled the Saint's even at 3 all. This left the team match to be decided at #1 singles where Siena's Nikki Mayer was battling Manhattan's Namaxchi Chavez-Geller. The match seesawed back and forth with Chavez-Geller winning the 1st set 6-3. Mayer squeezed out the 2nd, 7-5 to send it to a deciding 3rd set which Chavez-Geller took 6-4 to give the victory to Manhattan.
"The team played very well, considering they were off for the last 9 days," Siena coach, Jeff Bloomberg commented. "Betsy Brookins played great tennis at #5. She served well and made few unforced errors. He also had high praise for the play of Andrea Disponzio and Eileen Gallocher.
Bloomberg noted that the Manhattan team was very good at following their approach shots to the net and following them with a volley for a winner. He said it's something we'll have to defend against if we meet them in the MAAC championships in 3 weeks.
The women are at home again Tuesday when they take on Sacred Heart in a non-conference match at 3PM.
Singles:
1 Chavez-Geller(M) def. Nikki Mayer 6-3, 5-7, 6-4
2 Andrea Disponzio(S) def. MaryJane Mc Guire 6-2, 1-6, 6-3
3 Courtney James(M) def. Brooke Fisher 6-2, 6-4
4 Shaleen Dastur(M) def. Vivki Dunham 6-1, 6-0
5 Eileen Gallocher(S) def. Jessica Kulack 6-3, 7-5
6 Betsy Brookins(S) def. Catherine Ondreicka 6-2, 6-1
Doubles:
1 Mayer/Disponzio(S) def. James/McGuire 8-3
2 Chavez-Geller/Dastur(M) def. Fisher/Brookins 8-4
3 Kulack/Ondreicka(M) def. Gallocher/anne Burak 8-3
Siena Record 3-5, (2-1 in MAAC)
