April 10, 2015 Final Stats
It's been that kind of spring for Siena's women's tennis team. The Saints suffered yet another 4-3 decision early Saturday morning to Niagara, their third straight, fourth in the last five matches and sixth setback by the tightest of scores this spring.
This loss may have been the most crippling as the Saints will now have to upset one of the top teams in the MAAC later this month to qualify for the conference championships.
Three of the six singles matches went the distance, with Niagara winning two of those. Rina Sakai rallied past Ashley Ta in three sets at No.2 singles helping the Saints' sweep the top three singles spots again, but the Purple Eagles won super tiebreakers at No. 4 and No. 6 singles.
Ali Garrity got the Saints going with an impressive 6-2 and 6-2 victory at top singles, and Allysa Singh won her eighth straight match and 15th of the season at No. 3 singles gutting out two 7-6 triumphs.
The match again came down to the key doubles point, and again the competition couldn't have been tighter. Garrity and Mitsuki Fukamchi teamed for an 8-6 win at No. 1 doubles for the Saints, but Niagara won No. 2 and No. 3. The Purple Eagles' team of Stella Peisahova and Brooke Briseno defeated Sakai and Julia Dunbar 9-8 and 7-5 at No. 2 doubles. That impossibly tight match, swung momentum to Niagara.
Siena doesn't get much time to relax after the match ended after midnight. The Saints host Saint Peter's on Senior Day at noon Saturday in Schenectady's Central Park. Seniors Jessica Macaluso and Cassandra Braz will be honored before first serve.
Singles Results
1. SIE Ali Garrity def. Iva Celan (6-2 and-6-2)
2. SIE Rina Sakai def. Ashley Ta (6-7 (1), 6-4 and 10-6)
3. SIE Allysa Singh def. Paulina Velasquez (7-6 (4) and 7-6 (5))
4. NIA Stella Peisahova def. Mitsuki Fukamachi (3-6, 6-1 and 10-8)
5. NIA Maria Ortiz def. Jessica Macaluso (6-4 and 7-5)
6. NIA Brooke Briseno def. Julia Dunbar (4-6, 6-2 and 10-6)
Doubles Results 1. SIE 1 & 4 def. 3 & 5 (8-6)
2. NIA 4 & 6 def. 2 & 6 (9-8 (7-5))
3. NIA 1 & 2 def. 3 & Cassandra Braz (8-5)
