Eshoo Lifts Women’s Tennis Past UMass Dartmouth, 4-3

DARTMOUTH, Mass. – With the match tied 4-4, the Suffolk women's tennis team's fate at UMass Dartmouth fell into the racquet of Rebecca Eshoo on the third singles court Tuesday afternoon at the UMD Tennis Courts. The senior captain did not skip a beat and took down the Corsairs' Maggie Lebrun, 6-4, 6-3, to lift the Rams to victory. 

Eshoo's first singles win of the season pushed Suffolk's season record to 3-2, and handed Dartmouth its first defeat of the season as the Corsairs slipped to 2-1. 

To open the match, Suffolk took two of the three doubles contests to gain a 2-1 lead over Dartmouth. The Corsairs got on the board first, however, as Jacquelyn Nakamura and Isabel Rathlev dropped an 8-3 decision to Kristen Rose and Mollie McCaffrey on the third doubles court. Aidiana Sagyndykova and Eshoo leveled the field with an 8-4 triumph over Lebrun and Kaela Dunn as the Rams' top tandem. Abby Trigilio and Valentine Medina swept Jenna Lahaie and Kerry Magoon in the second slot. 

Holding a 2-1 lead entering singles action, Medina stretched  the Rams lead  to 3-1 when the sophomore downed Magoon, 6-0, 6-2, in the second spot. 

The Corsairs did not go down without a fight, however, as they took the sixth and five courts. Reese feel to Samantha Rollings, 6-0, 1-6, 6-4, at No. 6, while Megan French  fell to McCaffrey, 6-2, 6-1, at No. 5. 

Sagyndykova put Suffolk back in front as the junior beat Lahaie, 6-0, 6-3, on the first court. 

With the match on the line, Dartmouth's Rose forced every match to count when she took down Trigilio, 7-5, 6-0, on the fourth court.

Eshoo sealed the Rams' fate with triumphant play in the third position. 

Suffolk takes three days off before traveling to West Hartford, Connecticut to open GNAC action at the University of St. Joseph Saturday at 12 p.m.