QUEENS, NY – Proving to be one of the toughest outs in the East Region, the St. Thomas Aquinas College women’s tennis team gave unbeaten Queens college a major scare before bowing out 5-4. The Lady Spartans got on the board by winning at first doubles versus the #5 seed at last weekend’s ITA East Regional tournament. Down 5-0, Lovisa Engstrand ’21 (Stockhom, Sweden) and Sara O’Brien ’18 (Orangeburg, NY) rallied to win six straight games to take the lead. STAC and Queens would take turns being ahead, with Queens up 8-7 before the dynamic Spartan duo forced a tiebreaker at 8-8. Engstrand and O’Brien went on the offensive early, leading 4-2 at the changeover, before winning with a 7-5 score in the breaker.
Cassandra Rohr ’21 (Mallorca, Spain) continued her stellar play at second singles, besting her opponent in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2. O’Brien would be the first double winner for the Spartans, taking her fifth singles match in record time at 6-4, 6-0.
In the closest singles match of the day, Engstrand defeated last year’s #12 ranked East Region player 6-4, 6-4. The freshman Swede saw herself down 3-2 before going on a tear to win four of the next five games for the victory – Engstrand’s first victory in her collegiate career over a ranked opponent.
The Spartans are next in action on Saturday, Sept. 30 at Molloy College. First serve is set for 11:00 AM, rain or shine.
Queens 5, St. Thomas Aquinas 4
Doubles
1. Engstrand/O’Brien (STAC) def. Rashad/Jover (QC), 9-8 (7-5)
2. Alplund/Brunetti (QC) def. Kanefu/Rohr (STAC), 8-3
3. Bel Aleixender/Aasen (QC) def. Lopez/Kopf (STAC), 8-2
Singles
1. Reehan Rashad (QC) def. Nyenyeri Kanefu (STAC), 6-1, 6-2
2. Cassandra Rohr (STAC) def. Louissa Brunetti (QC), 6-2, 6-2
3. Lovisa Engstrand (STAC) def. Laura Ortega Jover (QC), 6-4, 6-4
4. Emy Alplund (QC) def. Katarina Lopez (STAC), 6-1, 6-3
5. Sara O’Brien (STAC) def. Line Aasen, 6-2, 6-0
6. Aracelli Bel Aleixender (QC) def. Carolyn Kopf (STAC), 6-0, 6-1
Order of Play: Doubles (3, 2, 1) Singles (6, 5, 1, 2, 4*, 3)