Salem State Defeats Western Connecticut 5-4
SALEM, Mass. -- Salem State earned their first victory of the season with a 5-4 win over Little East opponent Western Connecticut on Saturday afternoon at the Central Campus Tennis Courts. Abbie Laliberte's 6-3, third set win over Natalie Paradise at fifth singles clinched the match as the Vikings go to 1-4 on the year and even their conference record at 1-1. The Wolves have lost 3-of-4 and go to 3-6 and 0-2 in conference.
The Vikings won two-of-three doubles matches as Samantha Tenney / Alyssa Otero defeated Melanie Grasso / Sarah Cipriano, 8-5 at first singles. Kenzie McLaren / Abbie Laliberte earned the second point with an 8-2 win over Paradise / Aylina Razeq at third doubles.
Otero continued her undefeated play in singles, this time winning, 6-1, 7-6(7-3) over Grasso at first singles. Western Connecticut swept No.2 - N0.4 singles, but Liu earned a critical point at sixth singles with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Razeq. Laliberte and Paradise were tied at one-set apiece at fifth singles, before Laliberte broke the deadlock, winning the set 6-3.