Providence, R.I.—No. 1-seeded Rhode Island College captured the program's second consecutive (eighth overall) Little East Championship with a 5-1 win over No. 2-seeded Plymouth State in the tournament title contest played at the RIC Tennis Center on Saturday afternoon.
The Anchorwomen, who defeated No. 4 UMass Dartmouth, 5-2, in the semifinals yesterday, will advance to the NCAA Div. III Women's Tennis Championship, which will be played in the spring of 2019. The Panthers, who defeated third-seeded Salem State, 5-4, yesterday, see their season come to an end.
Sophomore Hailey Raskob (North Smithfield, RI) was named the 2018 Little East Women's Tennis Championship's Most Outstanding Player. RIC Head Women's Tennis Coach Adam Spring became the program's all-time leader with 91 career victories in the win.
THE BASICS
Rhode Island College 5, Plymouth State 1
Rhode Island College (17-0)
Plymouth State (12-3)
HOW IT HAPPENEND
• The Anchorwomen took a 1-0 lead as sophomore Grace Zangari (Saunderstown, RI) and Raskob defeated PSU seniors Irene Kigugu (Concord, NH) and Megan Wheeler (Manchester, NH), 8-1, at No. 2 doubles.
• Rhode Island College senior Katherine Braganca (Pawtucket, RI) and sophomore Laurel Ten Eyck (Warwick, RI) defeated Plymouth Sate sophomores Sage Winter (New Castle, NH) and Maggie McCarthy (Marion, MA), 8-3, at No. 1 doubles.
• PSU sophomores Jenna Sundquist (Monument Beach, MA) and Kerstin Venincasa (Sutton, MA) came back from a 6-3 deficit to defeat RIC sophomore Serena Bobola (Cranston, RI) and Emily Orticerio (Smithfield, RI), 9-7, at No. 3 doubles.
• Raskob put the hosts on top, 3-1, with a straight set (6-0, 6-0) shutout win over Kigugu at No. 3 singles.
• Ten Eyck then gave RIC a 4-1 lead with a (6-0, 6-2) win at No. 6 singles vs. Wheeler.
• Freshman Clara Siegmund (Pomfret, CT) clinched the title with a straight set victory (6-3, 6-4) vs. Venincasa at No. 5 singles.
