Women's Tennis Tops Valparaiso, 6-1

March 4, 2016

PALMAS DEL MAR - Puerto Rico - The Providence College women's tennis team won their third match of the spring season on Thursday morning with a 6-1 victory over the Valparaiso Crusaders in Palmas del Mar, Puerto Rico. The Friars took the doubles point to start the match and supplemented it with five consecutive singles victories to seal the win in the team's only match over the spring break session.

The Friars took two out of the three doubles matches in order to take the overall doubles point. In the third doubles match, sophomore Nicole Cyterski and senior Hannah Zangari blanked Meg Modesto and Erin Staal 6-0, while juniors Amanda Pitocco and Jennifer DeLuca earned a 6-4 victory over Cary Milanes and Randi Wind in the 2nd doubles match. With the doubles point already in tow, senior Alana Prinos and sophomore Emma Burgess dropped a 6-4 decision to Kat Hebble and Paige Heuer out of first doubles.

The Friars would take all but one singles match in recording their second victory over Valparaiso in three years. With Burgess unable to play in singles competition due to a shoulder ailment, Pitocco, freshman Risa Takenaka, and sophomore Brooke Burnside each moved up a position for the day. Takenaka quickly upped the Friar lead to 2-0 with a 6-2, 5-0 (retired) triumph over Wind out of fifth singles, and Burnside added to the lead with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Halle Roach in the sixth singles match. Prinos then continued her strong senior campaign with a decisive 6-2, 6-2 win out of first singles against Hebble. The senior dictated play throughout the match, playing a consistent brand of tennis en route to her third win of the spring season. With Prinos's win, the Friars gained a 4-0 advantage, clinching the overall team win in the process.

Prinos's victory was soon followed by Cyterski's 6-4, 6-0 win over Heuer in the third singles match. Pitocco added the sixth and final Friar point of the day with her 6-4, 6-4 win over Modesto out of fourth singles.

"[Modesto] was very consistent and got a lot of shots back in play," Pitocco stated after the match. "I really just focused on hitting high and deep shots during the baseline rallies, as well as making her move from side to side throughout each point."

With the win, Pitocco notched her first victory of the spring 2016 season and improved her career record to an impressive 5-1 mark out of the fourth singles position.

With the win, the Friars moved to 3-2 on the spring season and 6-3 for the 2015-2016 year.

"It was nice to see the players adjust to a much warmer climate with wind and continue to play hard," second year head coach Rebecca Ricci said after the match. "They've done nothing but play indoors in Rhode Island over the last couple of months, so today's win is definitely a credit to their ability to adjust to a new environment."

"I think that today was also a terrific example of how much depth we have on this team," Ricci said. "I'm very fortunate to be able to rest Emma's shoulder for a singles match and have a hard-working, quality player who knows how to win, like Brooke, move into the lineup."

The Friars return to action next Sunday, March 12 against the Harvard Crimson in Cambridge, MA.

SINGLES

1. Alana Prinos (PC) Def. Kathleen Hebble (Valpo) 6-2, 6-2
2. Cary Milanes (Valpo) Def. Jennifer DeLuca (PC) 7-6 (7-5), 6-1
3. Nicole Cyterski (PC) Def. Paige Heuer (Valpo) 6-4, 6-0
4. Amanda Pitocco (PC) Def. Meg Modesto (Valpo)
5. Risa Tankenaka (PC) Def. Randi Wind (Valpo) 6-2, 5-0 (set)
6. Brooke Burnside (PC) Def. Halle Roach (Valpo) 6-1, 6-3

DOUBLES

1. Kathleen Hebble/ Paige Heuer (Valpo) Def. Alana Prinos/ Emma Burgess (PC) 6-4
2. Jennifer DeLuca/ Amanda Pitocco (PC) Def. Cary Milanes/ Randi Wind (Valpo) 6-4
3. Hannah Zangari/ Nicole Cyterski Def. Meg Modesto/ Erin Staal (Valpo) 6-0

-Go Friars!-

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Players Mentioned

Emma Burgess

Brooke Burnside

Nicole Cyterski

Jennifer DeLuca

Jennifer DeLuca

Amanda Pitocco

Alana Prinos

Alana Prinos

Risa Takenaka

Hannah Zangari

Hannah Zangari

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