SPARKILL, NY – Playing for the first time this season, visiting Queens College defeated previously undefeated and unscored upon St. Thomas Aquinas College 4-3 in an epic showdown at the Riley Family Tennis Courts on Saturday.  The Spartans found themselves in a hole early in the doubles portion of the schedule, with losses at first and third doubles sandwiched around a win at the second spot.  The duo of Jemima Parkinson ‘24 (Gloucester, England) and Ayesha Burnett ’23 (Wellington, New Zealand) would win 6-2 at second doubles, moving to 2-0 in ECC play and 4-1 overall on the season.

            The Knights made it 2-0 with a win at second singles, with Viktoriia Pavlovets ’23 (St. Petersburg, Russia) dropping a tough 7-5 first set before running out of gas in the second.  Parkinson would make the match score at 2-1 with 6-1. 7-6 (3) win at fourth singles, showcasing a strong service game mixed with huge forehand winners.  Karina Blas ’22 (Tarnow, Poland) dropped her first singles matchup against countryman Maja Makal 6-4, 6-3 making it 3-1 for the visitors.

            Samanta Villegas Robles ’23 (Leon, Mexico) would shake of a sloppy start to win her match at third singles in the third set, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1, before Burnett dropped her fifth singles match also in the third set, 6-3, 4-6, 6-0 giving the visitors the clinching point.  At sixth singles, Eliza Mulder ’23 (Schoonhoven, Netherlands) won with a 6-4, 6-2 straight set victory to put the score as a one point loss for the hosts.

            The Spartans get a chance for redemption on Sunday, as the head to Flushing, NY to take on Queens College at the Queens College Tennis Center.  First serve is set for 10 AM.

T-1/- Queens College 4, T-5/UC St. Thomas Aquinas College 3

4/24/2021

Doubles

1.     Maja Makal/Lovisa Engstrand (QC) def. Karina Blas/Samanta Villegas Robles (STAC) - 6-1

2.     Jemima Parkinson/Ayesha Burnett (STAC) def. Nathalie Ulander/Lilly Schmidtt (QC) – 6-2

3.     Gabby Sciarotta/Aleksandra Caricic (QC) def. Viktoriia Pavlovets/Eliza Mulder (STAC) – 6-4

Order of Finish:     1, 2*, 3

Singles

1.     Maja Makal (QC) def. Karina Blas (STAC) – 6-4, 6-3

2.     Nathalie Ulander (QC) def. Viktoriia Pavlovets (STAC) – 7-5, 6-2

3.     Samanta Villegas Robles (STAC) def. Lovisa Engstrand (QC) – 2-6, 6-4, 6-1

4.     Jemima Parkinson (STAC) def. Gabby Sciarotta (QC) – 6-1, 7-6 (3)

5.     Aleksandra Caricic (QC) def. Ayesha Burnett (STAC) – 6-3, 4-6, 6-0

6.     Eliza Mulder (STAC) def. Lilly Schmidtt (QC) – 6-4, 6-2

Order of Finish:     2, 4, 1, 3, 5*, 6

T-5/UC STAC – 7-1 (3-1 ECC)

T-1/- QC – 1-0 (1-0 ECC)