Senior Dayna Reilly (Swansea, MA) was named the Most Outstanding Player as she led the No. 1-seeded Rhode Island College to the 2017 Little East Conference Women's Tennis Championship with a 5-1 victory against No. 3-seeded Bridgewater State at the RIC Tennis Center on Saturday afternoon.
It marks the seventh conference tournament championship (1994, 1995, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2017) for the women's tennis team and the first since the 2005 season. It also marks the first tourney title for RIC since the LEC went from an individual flight championship to a team tournament.
By virtue of the win, the Anchorwomen will be making the program's first-ever NCAA Div. III Women's Tennis Tournament appearance in May.
RIC avenged a 5-4 setback to the Bears in the 2016 Little East Championship Finals match.
The Anchorwomen's 16 wins continue to be a new program record. RIC has won the last three Little East Conference Regular Season Championships (2015, 2016, 2017).
THE BASICS
Rhode Island College 5, Bridgewater State 1
Rhode Island College (16-0)
Bridgewater State (12-6)
HOW IT HAPPENED
• RIC opened the match with a win at No. 1 doubles, as Reilly and freshman Laurel Ten Eyck (Warwick, RI) posted an 8-2 victory over the Bridgewater State team of seniors Alisha Silva (Taunton, MA) and Amanda Strickland (Plymouth, MA).
• Bridgewater State evened the match at 1-1 as senior Bojana Roman (Somerset, MA)and senior Alison Scagnelli (Sutton MA) notched an 8-4 win against RIC freshman Emily Orticerio (Smithfield, RI) and junior Katherine Braganca (Pawtucket, RI) at No. 2 doubles.
• The Anchorwomen held a 2-1 advantage after doubles action when freshmen Grace Zangari (Saunderstown, RI) and Victoria Vittori (New Bedford, MA) posted an 8-4 win against BSU sophomore Angelique Gray (Osterville, MA) and junior Rachel Tarantino (Mansfield, MA) at No. 3 doubles.
• RIC extended its lead to 3-1 as Reilly posted a (6-1, 6-0) victory over Silva at No. 1 singles.
• Zangari recorded a (7-5, 6-1) win over Roman at the No. 2 singles spot to put RIC ahead 4-1. Zangari avenged a straight-set loss to Roman when the two club's previously met on Oct. 10.
• Freshman Hailey Raskob (North Smithfield, RI) sealed the LEC Championship for RIC as she posted a (6-3, 6-4) win over Sweeney at No. 5 singles.
