Box Score
WEST CHESTER, Pa. – West Chester swept the doubles competition and then picked up wins at Nos. 3 and 4 singles to earn a 5-0 victory over visiting East Stroudsburg in the PSAC Quarterfinals on an overcast, but comfortable, Monday afternoon at South Campus Courts.
With the win, West Chester (15-8) runs its current winning streak to seven games while picking up the program’s first playoff victory in over 25 years. The seven-game win streak is also the longest in current head coach Tina Tharp’s three-year tenure.
“We practiced yesterday because I felt there would be some nerves,” Tharp said. “(East Stroudsburg) was down a couple of players. But, I wanted (our team) to come out ready. It’s always better to get three wins out of your doubles.
“With Claire (Afrassiabian) playing at fourth singles, we like to think that is a guaranteed win most of the time. But, everybody, one through six, played very well. We could have picked up another point anywhere in the lineup.”
Afrassiabian indeed locked up the fourth win of the match at No. 4 singles with a straight-set shutout, 6-0, 6-0 over ESU’s Annie Vega. West Chester’s Ali Fetter was a 6-0, 6-2 winner at third singles to clinch the playoff win for the Golden Rams.
The rest of singles competition was suspended at that point because the match was decided.
West Chester’s third doubles team of Kara Shumock and Nicole Paller dispatched their opponents quickly, 8-0. The other two doubles teams were tested, but came through for Tharp to give the hosts a commanding 3-0 lead.
Brittany Counts and Luisi Souto were 8-4 winners at first doubles while Fetter and Tara Krauss were 8-6 winners at second doubles.
Since Tharp has inherited the reigns of the Golden Rams’ program, West Chester women’s tennis has made tremendous strides toward building a competitive program.
“I think my first year I had six girls on the team,” Tharp remembered. “I had 24 girls tryout this year.
“We’ve added a couple of new people each year. But, I would say that the majority of this year’s team is responsible for the rebuilding. They have done it all themselves.”
The Golden Rams advance to the PSAC semifinals at Bloomsburg University and will play No. 13 California (Pa.) on Thursday afternoon at 12 p.m. Indiana (Pa.) will take on Bloomsburg in the other semifinal. The 2011 PSAC Women’s Tennis Championship match will be played on Friday at 9 a.m., along with the consolation match.
