April 22, 2006

TAMPA, Fla. - After winning the doubles point, the Marquette women's tennis team gathered victories for junior Francina Bonnelly, sophomore Erin Watkins and freshman Lauren Little to defeat 11th seeded Pittsburgh, 4-3, at the BIG EAST Conference Championships at Varsity Courts on the campus of USF in Tampa, Fla. With the win, the Golden Eagles finish in 11th place and cap the season with an overall record of 9-17.

"It wasn't our best tennis today, but we played with a lot of determination and that is why we won," said head coach Jody Bronson. "We scrapped and did whatever it took to win today. We didn't want to go home with out a win."

In highly contested doubles play, the Golden Eagles got their first doubles win from Watkins and Bonnelly at two doubles, 8-6, over Carlie Smith and Emily Hughes. Pitt's three doubles tandem of Annie Davies and Becky Emmers evened the score and defeated junior Dominika Dabrowski and Robin Metzler, 9-7. Marquette secured the doubles point in thrilling fashion as the no. 1 doubles duo of sophomore Maria Calbeto and Little downed Kristy Borza and Lead Friedman in a tie-breaker, 9-8 (6).

Marquette used that momentum from winning the doubles point to get wins from Bonnelly, 6-1, 6-4 over Smith, and from Watkins in straight sets over Davies.

In turn, Pitt surged back taking three wins at no. 1, no. 4 and no. 6 singles, but it was Marquette who prevailed in the end getting a three set win from Little at no. 2 singles.

After losing her first set, 7-6 in a tie-breaker, Little pulled off two 6-4 straight set decisions to give Marquette the victory.

"We needed to win the doubles point, it wasn't pretty, but we got it," Bronson said. "We did what ever it took to win. I am proud of the way Lauren played and battled back after losing her first set."

Doubles
1. Maria Calbeto/Lauren Little (MU) def. Kristy Borza/Lead Friedman (Pitt) - 9-8 (6)*
2. Erin Watkins/Francina Bonnelly (MU) def. Carlie Smith/Emily Hughes (Pitt) - 8-6
3. Annie Davies/Becky Emmers (Pitt) def. Dominkia Dabrowski/Robin Metzler (MU) - 9-7

Singles
1. Krista Borza (Pitt) def. Maria Calbeto (MU) - 6-3, 6-3
2. Lauren Little (MU) def. Leah Friedman (Pitt) - 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-4*
3. Erin Watkins (MU) def. Annie Davies (Pitt) - 6-2, 6-2
4. Emily Hughes (Pitt) def. Dominkia Dabrowski (MU) - 6-1, 6-4
5. Francina Bonnelly (MU) def. Carlie Smith (Pitt) - 6-1, 6-4
6. Christie Dachille (Pitt) def. Andrea Bukacek (MU) - 6-4, 6-1

* denotes match clincher