Women's College Tennis
Rider University 5, Saint Peter's College 2
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Match
JERSEY CITY--The first place Rider University women's tennis team. Ok, before everyone starts e-mailing or calling the Sports Information Office, it is not a typo. With this being the last match of the Fall 2009 season, the Bronc women's tennis team will get to enjoy a few months at the top of the MAAC standings after defeating Saint Peter's College in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference match Tuesday afternoon at the indoor courts in Jersey City.
"First place!!!," head coach Ed Torres exclaimed after the match. "Saint Peter's was a little understaffed but our team played very well. We're happy to get the first conference win. We've never started undefeated in the MAAC and we are hoping it continues when the schedule picks up in March."
For Rider, sophomore Allison Clay (East Brunswick) was a double-winner, winning at fourth singles and teaming with junior Mallory Garbaravage (Little Egg Harbor/Pinelands Regional) to win at second doubles. Senior Kristina Paich (Stanhope/Lenape Valley Regional) won her match at first singles in three sets for her third win of the fall as the Broncs took advantage of a depleted Peahen line up with three wins by default.
"Allison was losing 5-2 in the second set of her singles match," Torres remembered. "She called me over and after watching a few points, I pointed out to her that she was going for too many winners. I told her to play more steady and she reeled off five straight games, making less than five errors to clinch the match for us. If she loses that set, we may not have gotten that first conference win. She listened to me and it worked."
Saint Peter's won at Rider 6-1 in 2008 and 7-0 in 2007 in Jersey City.
Rider wraps up the fall schedule at 2-5 overall but more importantly, 1-0 and in first place in the MAAC.
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