SALISBURY, Md. – The Salisbury University women's tennis team ran its program-record winning streak to 15 matches with a key Atlantic South Region victory against Christopher Newport University, 6-3, at the SU Tennis Courts on Tuesday afternoon.
The three-point edge is the closest match this season for Salisbury (15-2).
The Sea Gulls, ranked No. 8 in the region, claimed the first two points of the day as sophomore Roxanne Alban and freshman Natalie Savage pushed their record together at No. 1 doubles to 5-0 on the season with a convincing 8-2 win over Marion Gloor and Kim Morrissett.
Senior Victoria Handlin and junior Jessica Babyak pushed Salisbury's lead to 2-0 with an 8-4 win at No. 3. The duo jumped out to a 4-1 lead and retained that edge throughout the win.
The Captains, who are ranked No. 14 in the region, got their lone doubles point from Jackie Gaine and Jodi Noland at No. 2. Salisbury senior Elaina Iosue and sophomore Katie Youlios took the early 2-1 lead, after dropping the first game, and led throughout before being forced to a tie-breaker, where the CNU pair claimed the point, 7-3.
CNU momentarily tied the match at 2-2 when Noland picked up the first singles point of the day, defeating Alban 6-1, 6-0, at No. 3, but the Sea Gulls controlled the action the rest of the day, rattling off the next four points. Youlios, at No. 4, gave Salisbury the lead for good, closing out Melisande Downs 6-1, 6-1. The win was her 12th straight as she improved to 6-0 at No. 4.
Salisbury sealed the victory as three more points came within just a few minutes on wins from Iosue, Savage and Handlin. Iosue collected a 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 2 and Savage earned the match-clinching points for the Gulls with a 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 1 over Morrissett. Handlin added Salisbury's sixth and final point with a 6-4, 6-1 win at No. 5. Savage holds a team-leading singles record of 15-1, including a 7-0 mark at the top singles slot.
CNU (15-6) earned a point in the final match on court with Babyak claiming the opening set against Angela Stallman, 7-5, at No. 6 before Stallman took the second, 6-1, and the third set super tie-breaker, 10-2.
Salisbury remains at home this Saturday, April 13, with a pair of Capital Athletic Conference matches. The Sea Gulls host Wesley College at 11 a.m., and St. Mary's College of Maryland at 2:30 p.m.
