MIDDLEBURY, Conn. – Junior Ana Vasilis won her first match as a member of the Post University Women's Tennis team in her Singles match on Saturday afternoon as the Eagles took on Chestnut Hill College at the Edgewood Bath and Tennis Club, dropping their conference-opening match, 4-3, to the Griffins. 

THE BASICS

Post University 3, Chestnut Hill College 4

Post University (0-2, 0-1 CACC)

Chestnut Hill College (2-0, 1-0 CACC)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Entering the match, Post had a leg up in both the Singles and the Doubles as the Griffins only had five available players for the match, giving the Eagles the #3 Doubles by virtue of default, as well as the #6 Singles, in which senior Gioia Turco was unable to face an opponent due to the player shortage. The situation set up a scenario in which Post just needed to either snag one Doubles match to secure that point or, in the event they lost the Doubles point, take three Singles matches to take the match.

However, despite the player shortage, Chestnut Hill would find a way to pull off the narrow victory after winning both the #1 and #2 Doubles matches to secure the first point of the afternoon. Junior Lilian Bandel and freshman Veronika Lundgren were 6-2 victors over sophomore Julie Merlin and junior Ana Vasilis, while junior Elena Arenas Guisasola and freshman Milica Zagorac took down freshman Vitalina Sokoliuk and sophomore Laura Kotala, 6-1. 

With five matches in the Singles, the two teams entered that portion of the contest tied at one team point apiece, before the Griffins won the first three matches that finished to secure the win. Freshman Savannah Croft fell to senior Claudia Rasilla Romero, 6-1 and 7-5, in the #5 Singles, while a two-set sweep of 6-0 each for Bandel over Kotala in the #4 Singles put Chestnut Hill on the verge of victory. That would be when Arenas Guisasola took down Sokoliuk in the #2 Singles, 6-3 and 6-4, giving the Griffins their first conference win of the year.

Post would snag the final two matches of the day as Vasilis came back to win in three sets against Zagorac in the #1 Singles, dropping set one, 6-1, before winning set two, 6-4, and winning the 10-point tiebreaker set, 10-8. The #3 Singles would go similarly for Merlin, drop set one 6-4 before forcing a third set with a 6-1 win in set two, but unlike Vasilis's match, they would play a six-point third set that Merlin captured, 6-2. 

BY THE NUMBERS

• Winning in three sets in the #1 Singles, Ana Vasilis picked up her first win as part of Post University Women's Tennis
• The last time Post University beat a conference opponent other than Dominican (N.Y.) was back on October 3rd, 2023, when they defeated Goldey-Beacom College at home, 5-2
• Dating back to last season, Post University has lost five straight matches and 10 of its last 11 matches 
• Post University has lost five consecutive matches against Chestnut Hill College, with the last win coming back on October 12th, 2022, in a 5-2 victory at home

 
WHO'S NEXT
Post University wakes up bright and early tomorrow morning to take on Saint Michael's College at the Edgewood Bath and Tennis Club, starting at 10:00 AM. This will be the first time the two teams have met in the history of their programs.