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May Vickers (Athletic Communications)
May Vickers (Athletic Communications)
Posted: Apr 07, 2012

Women go 4-0 in NEC, down FDU 4-3

Box Score

Women complete perfect NEC slate with 4-3 win at FDU

TEANECK, N.J. – Propelled by wins at No. 2 doubles off the rackets of Claudia Hidalgo (Guayaquil, Ecuador) and Marcela Brandao (Santo Andre, Brazil) and a comeback win at No. 4 singles by sophomore May Vickers (Montrose, Colo.), the Bryant University women's tennis team completed its Northeast Conference schedule unbeaten, as the Bulldogs edged Fairleigh Dickinson, 4-3, on Saturday afternoon at the FDU Tennis Center.

Despite not being able to participate in the postseason NEC Tournament due to its reclassification status, the Bulldogs (10-4, 4-0 NEC) will be able to take solace in knocking off the only other unbeaten team in the league up until Saturday in FDU (12-6, 2-1 NEC). It marked the first loss for the Knights since March 3, as the Bulldogs snapped the home team's seven-match winning streak in the process.

But the win may not have been if not for the stellar efforts of Hidalgo and Brandao in the No. 2 doubles match. The duo found themselves in a downright thriller against Julia Prantl and Eqzona Morina, as the bout came down to a tiebreaker after both sides were deadlocked at 8-all. But Hidalgo and Brandao came out victorious in an 8-6 win in the tiebreaker to give the Bulldogs the early lead. It was the pair's seventh win of the season as doubles partners.

Combined with the continued success of freshmen partners Rosie Bird (Hamilton, New Zealand)  and Devlin-Ann Ammendola (Garden City, N.Y.), who picked up a critical 8-4 win at No. 3 doubles, the Bulldogs took the early lead heading to singles play.

Bird quickly stretched the lead to 2-0 with an easy 6-0; 6-2 victory at No. 6 singles, as the rookie sensation won her team-high eighth straight match to improve to 8-1 in singles this spring.

But the Knights were back in the match with victories at No. 2 and No. 3 singles, as Julia Prantl and Irina Dementyeva prevailed to draw two key points for the home side. While those matches were wrapping up, however, Hidalgo helped put the Bulldogs ahead with a 6-4; 6-1 win against Elmine Botes in the No. 1 singles match.

Sporting a 3-2 lead, Vickers had the opportunity to clinch the victory and did so with her come-from-behind win at No. 4 singles. After dropping the first set by two games, the Colorado native rallied with dominant showings in the second and third sets to prevail by a final margin of 4-6; 6-3; 6-1, as the Bulldogs clinched the match with their fourth point of the day.

FDU closed the gap to one point with a final victory at No. 5 singles, as Manuela Leme edged sophomore Stephanie Smyers (Pittsburgh, Pa.) in a marathon match, 6-7 (7); 6-2; 10-0.

The Bulldogs will wrap up the 2011-12 campaign with four matches in a busy final week of play. Bryant will start with a road trip to the University of Massachusetts on April 10 before hosting Holy Cross on Thursday (April 12) at 3:30 p.m. in its final home match of the season.

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Bryant 4, Fairleigh Dickinson 3

Doubles

  1. Botes/Dementyeva def. Lucy Bird/Smyers 8-5
  2. Hidalgo/Brandao def. Prantl/Morina 9-8 (8-6)
  3. Rosie Bird/Ammendola def. Leme/Sarrate 8-4

Singles

  1. Hidalgo def. Botes 6-4; 6-1
  2. Prantl def. Ammendola 6-4; 6-2
  3. Dementyeva def. Brandao 6-4; 6-0
  4. Vickers def. Morina 4-6; 6-3; 6-1
  5. Leme def. Smyers 6-7 (7); 6-2; 10-0
  6. Rosie Bird def. Sarrate 6-0; 6-2

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For continuing coverage of Bryant University women's tennis, check back online at www.bryantbulldogs.com; also follow the Bulldogs on Twitter @BryantAthletics.