Worcester, Mass. – Host Clark University opened up the 2013 season with an impressive 9-0 win over Worcester-area rival Becker College in non-league women's tennis action on Saturday morning on the Corash Tennis Courts.
The match, which was moved up two hours because of the fear of rain, saw the Cougars give first-year head coach Helaine Vrana her first career victory. It also marked the third time in the last four years that Clark has opened its season with a win over the Hawks.
Becker, who only used four players, thus forfeiting No. 3 doubles along with No. 5 and No. 6 singles, lost for just the third time in their last 12 matches.
In the two doubles matches, Clark was able to roll to 8-0 victories. At No. 1, Sarah Sachs (Branford, Conn.) and Rose Burberry-Martin (Uxbridge, Mass.) swept past Cameron Murphy (Weymouth, Mass.) and Anna Pilip (New Britain, Conn). Then at No. 2, Kera Snyder (Portland, Maine) and Rebecca Kravetz (Wayland, Mass.) topped Kerry Saltvick (Bakersfield, Calif.) and Chenylle Mercado (Tyngsboro, Mass.).
In singles action, Sachs dropped Murphy 6-0, 6-2 and Phoebe Hughes (Parkland, Fla.) registered a win by the same score over Pilip at No. 2.
Snyder and freshman Ellie Bakalchuk (Newton, Mass.) kept it rolling for the Cougars with back-to-back 6-0, 6-0 wins over Saltvick and Mercado respectively, at No. 3 and No. 4.
Becker will return to the court on Wednesday with a home match with against MCLA, while Clark continues its season-opening homestand against Rhode Island College on Tuesday.
