The Slippery Rock University women’s tennis team opened up its section play with a loss to conference rival Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP).
The Rock was defeated Wednesday with a score of 9-0, leaving the team with an overall record of 7-6 and 0-1 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC).
To start the day, the doubles team of sophomores Carla Corrochano Moracho and Nina Barbano lost to IUP’s Jarka Petercavoka and Luise von Agris with a score of 8-1.
Freshman Amanda Bruscemi and junior Stephanie Fortier lost to the Crimson Hawk’s Raquel Gonzalez and Rachel Wood with a score of 8-4.
Rock junior Tiffany Kollah and freshman Allie Welch lost 8-1 to Claudia Menes and Alanna McFail to wrap up the doubles match.
“We played really slow doubles,” Coach Matt Meredith said, “The competition was tough, but I believe we could have come out stronger and played a lot better doubles.”
To begin singles, Corrochano lost to Petercavoka with scores of 6-2, 6-3.
Nina Barbano was defeated by Gonzalez 2-6, 6-2, 10-3 to add another win for the Crimson Hawks. Kollah lost to van Agris with scores of 6-1, 6-4 in the next match.
Slippery Rock added to its woes when Butland took down Bruscemi with scores of 6-1, 6-3.
“We held our own out there,” Bruscemi said, “I wouldn’t say we played bad, but by the time we got focused in doubles it was too late. We grinded out there and definitely played a lot better when we got to singles.”
In the final two matches of the evening, Fortier lost to Menes 6-3, 6-3 and Welch fell to Wood 6-2, 6-1.
“They are a tough team with some very good talent,” Coach Meredith said of IUP’s team, “We knew coming in it was going to be tough. All we can do now is to prepare for next week against Mercyhurst.”
The ladies will look for a win against Mercyhurst University on Tuesday, March 29, at 8:15 p.m.
“Again, this will be a tough matchup for us,” Meredith explained. “It will be interesting to see how we play indoors because Mercyhurst does not have outdoor tennis courts. We are used to battling the weather out here so it will for sure be different for us next week.”
