BRISTOL, R.I. – The UMass Boston Women's Tennis team faced their toughest challenge of their young season against undefeated Roger Williams University on the road. The Beacons were 2-7 all-time against the Hawks with their last win coming in 2001 against them coming into the afternoon. After taking two of the three doubles matches, the Beacons dropped four of six singles matches, losing to the Hawks in a close 5-4 decision.

THE BASICS

UMass Boston 4, Roger Williams University 5

UMass Boston (4-1)

Roger Williams University (10-0)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

Juniors Lydia Chan and Yana Semerly took the #1 Doubles match from senior Emma Place and junior Olivia Santoro, 8-7, after winning the tiebreaker. Sophomores Elena Albano and Ayonna Stuppard kept the ball rolling for the Beacons, taking the #2 Doubles, 8-6, over sophomores Gianna Ferraro and Gracie McCarthy to give UMass Boston a 2-0 edge in the team score.

Junior Kate Hardy and freshman Izzy Pecora stole the #3 Doubles for Roger Williams, defeating senior Lia Vassiliadis and freshman Ayra Shaikh, 8-2.

Capping off her 2-0 day, Semerly took down Place in the #1 Singles in three sets, taking the first set 6-2, dropping the second set 6-1, and then taking the decisive final set, 10-8.

The Hawks would take the #2 through #4 Singles with Ferraro, freshman Samantha Cahoon, and McCarthy defeating Chan (6-4, 7-6 on tiebreaker), Shaikh (6-4, 7-5), and Albano (6-0, 6-1) respectively.

Santoro won the deciding fifth match for Roger Williams, taking down Vassiliadis in three sets, winning set one, 6-2, dropping set two, 6-2, and winning the third set 10-7 in the #6 Singles.

The final match of the evening proved to be the most thrilling even with the team score decided as Stuppard battled Pecora for the #5 Singles. With both teams and spectators looking on, Stuppard took down Pecora in three sets, winning 6-2, losing 5-7, and then finishing off the third set with a 10-7 victory.
 
BY THE NUMBERS

• Yana Semerly has started off her Beacon career with a perfect 4-0 record in Singles matches and 4-0 record in Doubles matches
• Ayonna Stuppard's Beacon career is also off to a perfect start with the sophomore going 5-0 in Singles matches and 4-0 in Doubles matches
• In the head-to-head history, the 5-4 defeat was the closest recorded win-loss margin since 1999 (5-4 Roger Williams)
• UMass Boston is now 2-8 all-time versus Roger Williams  

WHO'S NEXT
The Beacons will return home for a Little East Conference matchup with Salem State University on Saturday afternoon at 1:00 PM. UMass Boston is 7-10 all-time against the Vikings, winning five of the last six matchups they have faced them in. This will be the first time the Beacons play Salem State at home since 2016.