March 28, 2007
Results: Saint Louis | Dayton | Xavier
Duquesne's women's tennis team went 2-1 this past weekend with road matches against Atlantic 10 foes Saint Louis, Dayton, and Xavier.
On Friday March 23, Duquesne beat Saint Louis 4-2. Despite losses at the no.1 and no.5 singles positions, the Dukes were able to win in the other four positions, beating Saint Louis overall. Against Dayton on Saturday the Dukes only lost at no.1 singles on their way to a 6-1 win over another conference opponent. The Dukes dropped their third match of the weekend to Xavier, 5-2.
In light of the successful weekend, sophomore Rebecca Poole (Swindon, Wiltshire, UK/New College (Swindon)) was named Atlantic 10 Player of the Week. Poole was 3-0 in singles competition, winning a tough battle with Saint Louis' Tara Grant, 6-3, 6-7, 6-3, beating her Dayton opponent 6-2, 6-0, and her Xavier opponent 6-3, 6-3. In no.1 doubles, Poole and senior Jacqueline Hughes (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) teamed up to beat Dayton 8-6 before dropping their match to Xavier 8-4. Together, Poole and Hughes are 8-3 in doubles.
Hughes also provided two victories for the Dukes at no.2 singles, defeating her Saint Louis opponent 7-6, 7-6 and Dayton 6-2, 6-2. Hughes, 9-3 at no.2 singles, maintains the team's top singles record.
The no.2 doubles pair, junior Johanna Bezjak (Salisbury, Md./James M. Bennett) and freshman Rachel McGowan (Canfield, Ohio/Canfield), won both of their doubles match-ups, beating Dayton 8-1 and Xavier 8-6. The pair remains 9-1 in doubles competition.
McGowan also produced two victories at no.4 singles, beating both her Saint Louis and Dayton opponents. Senior Alicia McNamara (North Augusta, S.C./Eastern HS - Pendleton School) was 3-0 in her no.6 singles matches. She shut out her Saint Louis opponent 6-0, 6-0, and also beat her Dayton opponent 6-1, 6-0 and Xavier opponent 6-3, 6-4.
In spring competition the Dukes now hold a 7-5 record, and will return to competition this week with away matches at Youngstown State on March 27 and at St. Bonaventure on March 30.
