Women's Tennis 3/25/2017 9:45:00 PM

Women's tennis has 47-match conference regular season winning streak snapped by Drew

Results

ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. -- Elizabethtown suffered its first regular season defeat to a conference opponent in more than eight years Saturday, falling in its Landmark Conference opener to Drew, 6-3, at the Alumni Courts.

The Rangers' victory snapped a 47-match conference regular season winning streak for the two-time defending Landmark Conference champion Blue Jays. Elizabethtown's last conference loss prior to Saturday came at the hands of Lebanon Valley back on Sept. 20, 2008, when the team was still a member of the MAC Commonwealth.

Drew hasn't had a winning season since 2011-12, but fourth-year head coach Matthew Brisotti has rejuvenated his program with an influx of talent. Many of those younger players were key to Saturday's upset.

The freshman duo of Cristina Riccio and Christina Christodoulou took the first point at No. 3 doubles, 8-2, over E-town's Amber Burd and Laura Gribble.

Elizabethtown's (2-4, 0-1 Landmark) No. 2 team of Madison McCall and Meghan Chemidlin responded with an 8-3 win against Jessica Cheng and Maria Navas Espinal, improving to 5-0 together.

Rangers' freshman Ashley Camel and sophomore Ty Ty Witten were able to outlast Taylor Helsel and Lenea Riehl at No. 1, 8-6, however, putting the guests back in front going into singles.

The teams split the top four flights of singles, with Drew's (7-1, 1-0) Camel winning No. 1 and Witten taking No. 2 in straight sets.

E-town got a 6-3, 6-4 triumph from Riehl at No. 3 and a 6-4, 6-3 win from Chemidlin at No. 4 to keep pace. Chemidlin moved to 9-1 in singles on the season and jumped above 40 career combined wins (41-21) with a two-win day.

Saturday's match was decided at fifth and sixth singles. Lineup depth has been a staple of Elizabethtown's recent conference championship-winning teams, but on this day, Drew prevailed.

Both matches went to a third set, with E-town's No. 5 Burd and No. 6 Gribble both climbing back from a set down to extend their matches.

The experience of senior Megan Jarvis helped Drew clinch the match 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 over Burd at No. 5. Gribble's third-set lead slipped away in a 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 loss to Kathryn Swenor at No. 6.

Drew won its seventh straight match after opening the season with a loss to Stevens back in September.

Elizabethtown will make up its match with Lebanon Valley Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m., in Annville.

Drew 6, Elizabethtown 3
March 25, 2017 at Elizabethtown, Pa. (Alumni Courts)

Singles competition

1. Ashley Camel (DREW) def. Taylor Helsel (ETOWN) 6-1, 6-3

2. Ty Ty Witten (DREW) def. Madison McCall (ETOWN) 6-1, 6-1

3. Lenea Riehl (ETOWN) def. Jessica Cheng (DREW) 6-3, 6-4

4. Meghan Chemidlin (ETOWN) def. Maria Navas Espinal (DREW) 6-4, 6-3

5. Megan Jarvis (DREW) def. Amber Burd (ETOWN) 7-5, 3-6, 6-4

6. Kathryn Swenor (DREW) def. Laura Gribble (ETOWN) 6-2, 3-6, 7-5

Doubles competition

1. Ashley Camel/Ty Ty Witten (DREW) def. Taylor Helsel/Lenea Riehl (ETOWN) 8-6

2. Madison McCall/Meghan Chemidlin (ETOWN) def. Jessica Cheng/Maria Navas Espinal (DREW) 8-3

3. Cristina Riccio/Christina Christodoulou (DREW) def. Amber Burd/Laura Gribble (ETOWN) 8-2

Match Notes

Drew 7-1, 1-0 Landmark

Elizabethtown 2-4, 0-1 Landmark

Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (1,2,3,4,5,6)

Landmark Conference match

Drew victory snaps E-town's 47-match conference regular season unbeaten streak

E-town's first conference regular season loss since Sept. 20, 2008

Official: Carroll Fossett T-4:55 A-50

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Players Mentioned

Amber Burd: 5' 3"; Sophomore

Meghan Chemidlin: 5' 3"; Sophomore

Laura Gribble: 5' 3"; Sophomore

Taylor Helsel: 5' 4"; Senior

Madison McCall: 5' 2"; Senior

Lenea Riehl: 5' 5"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Amber Burd
: 5' 3"; Sophomore

Meghan Chemidlin
: 5' 3"; Sophomore

Laura Gribble
: 5' 3"; Sophomore

Taylor Helsel
: 5' 4"; Senior

Madison McCall
: 5' 2"; Senior

Lenea Riehl
: 5' 5"; Freshman