March 3, 2009

PROVIDENCE R.I. - The UMass women's tennis team was defeated by the Brown Bears on Tuesday afternoon, 7-0. The Minutewomen (6-6) fought hard, but the number one standing Ivy League team was too much to handle. The Bears won at Nos. 1 and 3 doubles, earning them the doubles point. They then went on to sweep UMass in singles play. The team of Laura Danai and Maude Lecluyse won at No. 2 doubles, claiming the only UMass victory of the day.

At No. 1 doubles, the sisterly duo of Bianca and Carissa Aboubakare defeated UMass' Magdalena Ploch and Tanisha Hodgson, 8-4. The highlight of the match came at No. 2 doubles where Danai and Lecluyse continued their impressive play by beating their opponents, 8-4. The senior/sophomore duo is 8-0 so far this season. Brown won at No. 3 doubles, 8-3, defeating the team of Candynce Boney and Kaitlyn Carpenter.

At No. 1 singles, Ploch faced the 2008 Ivy League Rookie of the Year Bianca Aboubakare. Ploch battled throughout the match, which eventually went to Aboubakare in a close 7-5, 6-4. Brown won all six of the singles matches, solidifying their victory.

The Bears came away from the match with their third straight 7-0 win, improving their record to 8-2.

UMass will return to action on Saturday, March 7 when it hosts Hofstra. The match will start at 1 p.m. at the Bay Road Tennis Club on the campus of Hampshire College.

Doubles
#1 Bianca Aboubakare/Carissa Aboubakare (BU) def. Magdalena Ploch/Tanisha Hodgson (UM), 8-4
#2 Laura Dania/Maude Lecluyse (UM) def. Kathrin Sorokko/Emily Ellis (BU), 8-3
#3 Cassandra Herzberg/Sara Mansur (BU) def. Candynce Boney/Kaitlyn Carpenter (UM), 8-3

Singles
#1 Bianca Aboubakare (BU) def. Magdalena Ploch (UM), 7-5, 6-4
#2 Cassandra Herzberg (BU) def. Candynce Boney (UM), 6-2, 6-1
#3 Sara Mansur (BU) def. Kaitlyn Carpenter (UM), 6-2, 6-0
#4 Tanja Vucetic (BU) def. Tanisha Hodgson (UM), 6-2, 6-2
#5 Julie Flanzer (BU) def. Maude Lecluyse (UM), 6-3, 6-4
#6 Catherine Stewart (BU) def. Laura Danai (UM), 6-2, 6-2