Junior stand out Doris Belanger’s win at three singles wasn’t nearly enough as the Rhode Island College women’s tennis team fell to Curry College 8-1 in their season opener earlier this week. The rout continued in their second match of the season at Roger Williams where the Hawks flew away on the Anchorwomen by a familiar score of 8-1. The 0-2 start for Rhode Island College is all too familiar following last seasons winless mark.
Belanger, the lone bright spot for the team during the season opener, really took the opportunity to shine. After taking the first set 6-3, she dropped the second set 3-6. Belanger entered the third set knowing the team was almost mathematically eliminated from the contest. After twelve long games Belanger and her opponent were unable to determine a winner. Belanger went on to take the set and the match in a tie break 10-4 powered by two early forehand winners.
In the home opener, RIC’s woes continued against Roger Williams. However they found the team’s first doubles victory of the year when the duo of senior Gaby Batek and freshman Chelsea Brown took an 8-3 victory at the number one doubles slot. Batek is a solid proven player for the Anchorwomen but new comer Brown is in the begining of what hopes to be a promising career as an Anchorwoman.
Brown, the Wallingford, Connecticut native, is one of the most experienced players on the team even as a freshman. With Brown grabbing her first college win, look for her confidence to begin to build and start making some noise in the singles brackets.
In upcoming action the Anchorwomen will face off against Emmanuel College, Salve Regina University, and also Nichols College all this week starting Tuesday at home.
