Women's College Tennis
Monmouth University 4, Rider University 3
LAWRENCEVILLE-Despite winning the first, second and third singles matches, the Rider University women's tennis team lost to in-state rival Monmouth University Tuesday afternoon. "It's a tough loss," said head coach Ed Torres. "It was a great match but the bottom of the line up didn't get any points for us. We were missing our fourth singles player due to injury and that forced everyone up one and put extra pressure on them."
For Rider (0-4), senior captain Kristina Paich (Stanhope/Lenape Valley Regional) won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles with freshman Marly Roche (Sussex/High Point Regional) winning 6-2, 7-6 (7-3) at second singles.
"Our one, two and three singles players did very well," Torres said. "Monmouth has some quality players and all of the Rider players won in straight sets. Kristina Paich, you expect her to do well but to win 12 straight games like she did, without making any type of errors or double faults, you don't see that coming against the kind of player that she faced. She played about three quarters speed. No one is good enough to just hit winners and winners. All you will do is commit errors so if you keep your game under control, you force your opponent to make the errors and that's what she did today."
"I was upset at how I played last weekend at the tournament (hosted by Navy)," Paich said. "I prepared mentally and just focused on playing a consistent match. I worked on keeping the ball in play, hitting the ball at half speed and not trying to over power it. I tried to force my opponent to make a mistake and when she did, I was able to take advantage."
Roche teamed up with sophomore Tricia Ashmore (Sparta) to win first doubles 8-5 with Ashmore winning her third singles match in straight sets 6-3, 6-3. "Ashmore had a nice match for us as well," Torres added.
"I had more confidence in the first set," Roche said about her singles match. "I just tried to play steady in the second set and that helped me in the end. Monmouth is around our skill level so it is always interesting when we play them."
"The player Marly faced, I happen to know her from the Shore area," Torres said. "She is a very strong player and Marly played an excellent match against an excellent player. Marly was down in the second set and was able to come back and win in the tie breaker. Her serve and volley is excellent. She has all of the shots and I expect her to become a top number one player for Rider in the next several years. She hits hard, with authority and puts the ball wherever she wants."
The deciding match of the four hour marathon was played at fifth singles by sophomore Allison Clay (East Brunswick) who fought back after losing 6-3 to win her second set 6-2. Playing in almost complete darkness, Clay was unable to give the Broncs their first win of the season, dropping the third and deciding set 6-1.
"It's no fault of theirs," Torres added about the bottom of the line up. "It is hard to play up one spot and it also disrupted the doubles pairings."
Last season, Rider defeated the Hawks 4-3 in Lawrenceville with Monmouth winning 6-1 in 2007 at Rider.
The Bronc men host Marist in a 2:00pm Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference match on Wednesday. Both teams host Siena in a MAAC match on Saturday at 11:00am.
"I proud of how we played," Paich added. "Monmouth is a good team and we stayed right there with them. A lot of us have played their players either in high school or at some point in our career and with both teams from New Jersey, it adds a little to the rivalry."
-RU-
