Women’s Tennis Opens Fall with Setback at Wilkes

Senior Amanda Kaufman

EDWARDSVILLE – Senior Amanda Kaufman pushed the No. 1 singles match to a third set and went to 9-7 at first doubles with teammate Rabecca Lausch, but East Stroudsburg University dropped its 2011 fall tennis opener at Wilkes by a 9-0 score on Wednesday.

Kaufman, who entered her senior season with a career record of 30-28 in singles and 22-17 at the No. 1 spot, dropped the first set 6-2 before coming back with a 7-6 victory in the second. Melanie Nolt won the 10-point tiebreaker, 12-10, in the final singles match to be completed on the Warriors’ first day of competition this season.

Three freshmen made their debuts for the Warriors – Allison Bean (No. 2 singles/No. 2 doubles), Elizabeth Longerhagen (No. 4 singles/No. 3 doubles) and Kasia Slezak (No. 6 singles/No. 3 doubles).

Lausch, a junior, played No. 2 singles and teamed with Kaufman in a 9-7 setback to Nolt and Katrina Lynn and No. 1 doubles. Sophomore Annie Vega filled the No. 5 singles spot and played No. 3 doubles with Slezak.

The Warriors, who have had at least a .500 record for four straight seasons, graduated the All-PSAC East doubles tandem of Katie D’Ambrosia and Jamie Ferrigno following the 2011 season. The duo went 55-27 in doubles during their four years, D’Ambrosia was 49-28 in her career playing primarily No. 2 singles and was last year’s PSAC East Athlete of the Year, and Ferrigno had a career singles record of 52-22.

ESU is slated to play four more duals this fall, weather permitting, along with the Bloomsburg Invitational on Oct. 1-2. The PSAC Individual Championships, which were originally scheduled for Sept. 17-18, were postponed to the spring due to flooding in Bloomsburg.

Wilkes 9, ESU 0

Singles competition
1. Melanie Nolt (WUWT) def. Amanda Kaufman (ESU-W) 2-6, 7-6, 12-10
2. Katrina Lynn (WUWT) def. Allison Bean (ESU-W) 6-0, 6-1
3. Ally Kristofco (WUWT) def. Rabecca Lausch (ESU-W) 6-0, 6-0
4. Alexis Donner (WUWT) def. Elizabeth Longenhagen (ESU-W) 6-0, 6-0
5. Anna Mitchell (WUWT) def. Annie Vega (ESU-W) 6-3, 6-2
6. Rebekah Shanaman (WUWT) def. Kasia Slezak (ESU-W) 6-0, 6-1

Doubles competition
1. Melanie Nolt/Katrina Lynn (WUWT) def. Amanda Kaufman/Rabecca Lausch (ESU-W) 9-7
2. Ally Kristofco/Alexis Donner (WUWT) def. Allison Bean/Annie Vega (ESU-W) 8-0
3. Anna Mitchell/Rebekah Shanaman (WUWT) def. Beth Longenhagen/Kasia Slezak (ESU-W) 8-0