STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.?The Rider University women's tennis team posted its second win in three matches with a 4-3 non-conference win over Wagner on Wednesday afternoon.  “This was two evenly matched teams,” said head coach Ed Torres who is his 13th season at Rider posted his 197th career coaching win.  “It came down to the doubles and you expect that when you have two teams that match up well against each other.”

For Rider (2-8), junior Danielle Morse (Edison/Hopewell Valley) won in straight sets at second singles and teamed up with sophomore Kristina Paich (Stanhope/Lenape Valley Regional) for an 8-1 win at first doubles.  “We all came out aggressively and played very well,” said Morse.  “My game was on today.  I hit a lot of winners that helped me close out my match 6-0, 6-0.  My shots were accurate and I was moving the ball well.”

After being down to four healthy players after the fall season and enduring a seven match losing streak, the women's team is finally turning the corner. 

“It's been great seeing the newer (and younger) players improve with every match,” said Morse.  “We are starting to work as a team, in doubles, we are being more aggressive and the same with singles.  It's been great to see the improvement every match.  Winning is giving us the confidence we need as we head into the end of the season.”

Sophomore Alyssa Markovits (Scotch Plains/Scotch Plains-Fanwood) also won 6-0, 6-0 at sixth singles and teamed with senior Shannen Kahler (Ojai, Calif./Chaparral) to win 8-0 at third doubles.

Junior Sabrina Govindarajan (Berkeley Heights/Governor Livingston) won the deciding singles match for the Broncs posting a 6-1, 6-4 win at fourth singles.

“Sabrina went out with the team score tied at three and won her match in straight sets,” said Torres.  “She played well.”

Both the men's and women's tennis teams travel to Dover, Delaware to take on Delaware State in a non-conference match on Thursday.

-RU-