Spring Break
URI tennis finishes season tied for 7th place in A-10
Matt Swiss
Issue date: 4/22/09 Section: Sports
04/22/09 - The University of Rhode Island tennis team lost to Saint Louis University in the third round of the Atlantic 10 Championship Saturday. Rhode Island finished its season tied for seventh overall in the A-10 with a 15-4 record.
The Rams, who began the tournament as the No. 4 seed, defeated No. 13 Saint Bonaventure University before falling to No. 5 Charlotte University and eventually to the eighth-seeded Billikens.
"We're better than they are," head coach Sandy Wood said when asked what worked so well for his team against St. Bonaventure. "Although they're solid, they're a little less consistent and we're just a little stronger than they were."
The Bonnies lost one of the three doubles matches and one of the six singles matches via forfeit because there were only five players that played for St. Bonaventure.
Seniors Grace Hedstrom and Valerie Chacon won because of the forfeit at the No. 3 doubles, while freshman Pam Emery teamed up with junior Amanda Barletta to pick up the victory, 8-4, at the No. 2 doubles. Barletta and Chacon won again in singles, Barletta via forfeit, while freshman Tristany Leikem won at the No. 4 spot to secure a 4-0 victory for the Rams.
"The A-10 is actually a really tough conference," Wood said. "We're now out there and the whole feeling was different, you could tell. The other big dogs all kind of consider us one of the gang now, whereas in the past, we were not."
The Rams were back in action just hours after their win against the Bonnies, taking on No. 5 Charlotte the same night. Rhody fell to the 49ers, dropping all three doubles matches before losing at the No. 1, 2 and 6 spots in singles play.
"We were fine the first day," Wood said. "Charlotte, I think, is actually the second best team in the whole league. I thought we played well against Charlotte and we had a good outing even though we lost."
Rhody got back on the court the following morning, falling to No. 8 St. Louis in the consolation bracket. The Rams fell at the No. 1 and No. 3 spots in doubles play, but picked up a win at the No. 2 doubles, where Emery and Barletta earned Rhody's only win of the day, 8-6. Rhode Island lost at the No. 2, 3 and 5 spots in singles play, ending its season with a 15-4 record.
The Rams, who began the tournament as the No. 4 seed, defeated No. 13 Saint Bonaventure University before falling to No. 5 Charlotte University and eventually to the eighth-seeded Billikens.
"We're better than they are," head coach Sandy Wood said when asked what worked so well for his team against St. Bonaventure. "Although they're solid, they're a little less consistent and we're just a little stronger than they were."
The Bonnies lost one of the three doubles matches and one of the six singles matches via forfeit because there were only five players that played for St. Bonaventure.
Seniors Grace Hedstrom and Valerie Chacon won because of the forfeit at the No. 3 doubles, while freshman Pam Emery teamed up with junior Amanda Barletta to pick up the victory, 8-4, at the No. 2 doubles. Barletta and Chacon won again in singles, Barletta via forfeit, while freshman Tristany Leikem won at the No. 4 spot to secure a 4-0 victory for the Rams.
"The A-10 is actually a really tough conference," Wood said. "We're now out there and the whole feeling was different, you could tell. The other big dogs all kind of consider us one of the gang now, whereas in the past, we were not."
The Rams were back in action just hours after their win against the Bonnies, taking on No. 5 Charlotte the same night. Rhody fell to the 49ers, dropping all three doubles matches before losing at the No. 1, 2 and 6 spots in singles play.
"We were fine the first day," Wood said. "Charlotte, I think, is actually the second best team in the whole league. I thought we played well against Charlotte and we had a good outing even though we lost."
Rhody got back on the court the following morning, falling to No. 8 St. Louis in the consolation bracket. The Rams fell at the No. 1 and No. 3 spots in doubles play, but picked up a win at the No. 2 doubles, where Emery and Barletta earned Rhody's only win of the day, 8-6. Rhode Island lost at the No. 2, 3 and 5 spots in singles play, ending its season with a 15-4 record.
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Bob Woods
posted 4/22/09 @ 4:19 AM EST
As captain of the 1968 U.R.I. Men's Tennis Team, and Head Coach of the Brown Men's Tennis Team (1982-1998), I am nonplussed at the trite and silly comments of coach Wood regarding his team's performance at the A-10 Tournament. (Continued…)
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