By Brandon Cook
BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University women's tennis cruised to a 9-0 win over visiting Salem State University in a Little East Conference (LEC) match on Wednesday afternoon at the Rosen Memorial Tennis Courts.rts.
The Bears improve to 5-2 on the season and 3-1 in the Little East, while the visiting Vikings fall to 5-3 overall and 2-2 in conference play. Bridgewater State is 21-6 versus Salem State and 11-4 at home since the Bears joined the Little East in 2004.
Bridgewater swept the three doubles matches and captured each of the six singles flights.
In doubles play, senior Madeline Von Ruden (Ashley Falls, Mass.) and graduate student Mackenzie Silveira (Middletown, R.I.) paired up for an 8-3 win at the top spot while the freshman tandem of Aislyn Kelliher (Plymouth, Mass.) and Morgan Smith (Taunton, Mass.) earned an 8-2 triumph at the second flight, and senior Meghan Lotti (Stoneham, Mass.) and sophomore Samantha Bettencourt (Tiverton, R.I.) teamed for an 8-0 victory at number three.
All six single matches were completed in straight sets. Bettencourt cruised to a 6-0, 6-0 win at number six to give the Bears a 4-0 lead, and Lotti secured the decisive fifth point with a 6-2, 6-0 triumph at the third spot. Bridgewater also received singles victories from Von Ruden at number one (6-2, 6-2), Silveira at the second flight (6-1, 6-0), Kelliher at number four (6-4, 6-0) and freshman Sarah Pothier (Rochester, Mass.) at the fifth flight (6-0, 6-0).
Silveira recorded her 50th career win with her doubles victory. She has amassed 17 wins in singles competition and 34 wins in doubles play over four seasons with the Bears.
Kelliher is now 6-1 in singles play on the season including a perfect 4-0 mark against conference opponents. The doubles pairing of Kelliher and Smith is 4-0 on the year and 3-0 in the Little East.
In upcoming action, the Bears host LEC rival UMass Dartmouth on Friday afternoon at 3:30 while the Vikings entertain Little East foe VTSU Castleton on Sunday afternoon at one.