Brown advances to singles and doubles quarterfinal at Stony Brook Invitational

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – In the first tournament of the season, the Bryant University tennis team showed promise as the squad nabbed two main draw wins and five total match victories at the 11th Annual Stony Brook Classic over the weekend.

Last year's No. 1 singles player and  now senior Ryan Brown (Austin, Texas) found the most success over the weekend, advancing to the quarterfinals of the singles tournament A, after defeating Florida Atlantic University's Naiya Oden, 6-4, 6-1. Brown's run was brought to an end in the quarterfinals, as she was overcome by Saint John's Anna Morozova, 6-2, 6-3.

The Lone Star State native also reached the tournament's doubles A quarterfinals alongside partner and classmate Marion Bouillin (San Diego, Calif.), as the duo fended off Navy's Catalina Rico and Kaylah Hodge, 6-4. Morozova once again trumped Brown, as she and her partner Stephanie Elgegren topped the Bryant pair, 6-2.

After losing in the opening round, Bouillin found success in the backdraw, defeating Claudia Mackenzie from Navy in the consolation quarterfinal, before the senior was knocked off by FAU's Alice Rudenko, 8-3, in the semifinals.

Also finding success in the backdraw was junior Stefanie Arroyo (Gurabo, Puerto Rico), who reached the finals of the singles tournament C. Arroyo moved past Navy's Sabrina Jiang, 9-7, in the consolation quarterfinals.

In the semis, the junior matched up against the reigning Northeast Conference First Teamer at No. 3 singles Liza Rachennko. With the NEC title on the line last season, Rachenko sealed the Knights' fate, as she defeated Bouillin in No. 3 singles to help her team to a NEC Championship victory over the Bulldogs. Despite the past, Arroyo regained some revenge for her team, topping Rachenko, 9-8 (5), to advance to the brackdraw singles tournament C finals.

Unable to play out the finals, Arroyo was forced to concede to St. John's Zofia Stanisz in the consolation championship match.

"With only three days under our belt, we used this tourney to get back into gear and play a lot of tennis," said head coach Barbara Cilli. "With two weeks between now and Army Invite, we just need to practice and get match ready".  

The Bulldogs turn their attention next to Rhode Island, as they take on the Rams on Wednesday, September 21, in Smithfield.