Feb. 19, 2011

Philadelphia, Pa. - Stony Brook University women's tennis team extended its winning streak to four with victories over Saint Joseph's and the University of Pennsylvania this weekend. The Seawolves defeated Penn, 4-3, after rolling to a 6-1 win over Saint Joe's.

Penn earned the first point of the match, winning two of the three doubles matches. But the Seawolves rebounded to win four of the six singles matches to earn the one-point victory. It was Stony Brook's first every victory over a team from the Ivy League.

Sophomroe Nini Lagvilava (Tbilisi, Georgia) and sophomore Aylin Mehter (Massapequa, N.Y.) won in straight sets at the No. 2 and 3 spots, respectively, and junior Salome Mkervalidze (Brewster, N.Y.) lost just two games in winning at No. 5. Junior Katherine Hanson (Smithtown, N.Y.) lost the first set, 6-0, at No. 4, but won each of the final two sets, 6-3, to win the match.

Stony Brook coasted to victory against Saint Joseph's, winning all three doubles matches and five of the six singles matches. The team of Hanson and senior Fanny Charliquart (Gueugnon, France) won 8-1 at No. 2 doubles as did Mehter and senior Gayatri Krishnan (Chennai, India) at the No. 3 spot.

The Seawolves did not drop a set in their five singles victories. Hanson and Krishnan did not lose a game in their wins at No. 4 and No. 5, respectively, while Lagvilava won 6-3, 6-0 at No. 2.

SBU returns to action next Sunday, traveling to take on Brown.

Stony Brook 4 Penn 3
Doubles
1. Connie Hsu/Alexa Ely (P) def. Katherine Hanson/Fanny Charliquart (SB) 8-0
2. Jules Rodin/Jaime Yapp-Shing (P) def. Prerana Appineni/Chloe Pike (SB) 9-8 (12-10)
3. Aylin Mehter/Gayatri Krishnan (SB) def Illana Dreyfuss/Stephanie Do (P) 8-6

Singles
1. Connie Hsu (P) def. Prerana Appineni (SB) 6-0, 6-1
2. Nini Lagvilava (SB) def. Alexa Ely (P) 6-4, 6-2
3. Aylin Mehter (SB) def. Stephanie Do (P) 6-2, 6-3
4. Katherine Hanson (SB) def. Daniela DePaoli (P) 0-6, 6-3, 6-3
5. Salome Mkervalidze (SB) def. Jules Rodin (P) 6-0, 6-2
6. Emma Whitfield (P) def. Gayatri Krishnan (SB) 6-2, 6-4

Stony Brook 6, Saint Joseph's 1
Doubles
1. Appenini/Mkervalidze (SB) def. Mullaney/Robinson (SJU) 8-6
2. Hanson/Fanny Charliguart (SB) def. Jadeja/Esposito (SJU) 8-1
3. Mehter/Krishnan (SB) def Walsh/Dowd (SJU) 8-1

Singles
1. Casey Robinson (SJU) def. Prerana Appineni (SB) 6-2 3-6 (10-5)
2. Nini Lagvilava (SB) def. Devi Jedeja (SJU) 6-3 6-0
3. Aylin Mehter (SB) def. Maggie Mullaney (SJU) 6-1 6-2
4. Katherine Hanson (SB) def. Tara Walsh (SJU) 6-0 6-0
5. Gayatri Krishnan (SB) def. Nicole Esposito (SJU) 6-0 6-0
6. Salome Mkervalidze (SB) def. Kate Dowd (SJU) 6-4 6-3