2012 BIG EAST Women's Tennis Championship Bracket
TAMPA, FLA. - The Seton Hall tennis team fell in its opening round match at the BIG EAST Championship on Thursday, losing 4-0 to fifth-seeded Georgetown.
With the team victory in hand, play was suspended in all matches yet to be decided.
The Hoyas (16-5) jumped out to an early lead on the day, capturing wins at the number two and three positions to clinch the doubles point.
Sophomores Rocio Portela (Demetrio Vega Baja, Puerto Rico) and Chloe Sher (Tin Shui Wai, Hong Kong) held a 5-4 lead over Georgetown's top team of Kelly Comolli and Lauren Greco when play was stopped.
As singles matches began, GU needed just three victories to advance.
The #3 singles match between Elizabeth Verow (Barnt Green, England) and Victoria Sekely was the first to be decided as Sekely added to her team's lead, defeating the SHU senior, 6-1, 6-1.
Georgetown's next point came when Tina Tehrani defeated Portela in the number two slot, 6-1, 6-0.
Madeline Jaeger clinched the match for the Hoyas, downing freshman Madison Shoemaker (Halfmoon Bay, British Columbia) in #5 singles, 6-2, 6-2.
When the match was called, Sher sat just one game away from defeating Greco, the seventh-ranked player in the Atlantic region, for the second time in as many weeks. After winning the first set 6-2, SHU's top player had opened up a 5-1 advantage in the second set.
The suspension of play also cut short a building rally from freshman Maria Rodriguez (Bogotá, Colombia) in the sixth singles position. After falling in the first set 3-6, Rodriguez and her opponent Sophie Panarese had played to a 4-4 draw in the second frame when the result was decided.
The Pirates (7-15) are not done in Tampa, as they will face #9 Cincinnati in a consolation round match tomorrow, April 20, at 3:00 p.m.
The Bearcats (7-17) enter the match coming off a 4-3 loss to eighth-seeded Rutgers in their opener.
It will be the first meeting between the schools this year.
Higher seeds won all four of the opening round matches on Thursday.
BIG EAST Championship First Round
#12 Seton Hall 0, #5 Georgetown 4
Singles
1. Chloe Sher (SHU) vs. Lauren Greco (GU) 6-2, 5-1 DNF
2. Tina Tehrani (GU) def. Rocio Portela (SHU) 6-1, 6-0
3. Victoria Sekely (GU) def. Elizabeth Verow (SHU) 6-1, 6-1
4. Kelly Comolli (GU) vs. Karina Cordero (SHU) 6-2, 5-2 DNF
5. Madeline Jaeger (GU) def. Madison Shoemaker (SHU) 6-2, 6-2
6. Sophie Panarese (GU) vs. Maria Rodriguez (SHU) 6-3, 4-4 DNF
Doubles
1. Sher/Portela (SHU) vs. Greco/Comolli (GU) 5-4, DNF
2. Tehrani/Sekely (GU) def. Verow/Shoemaker (SHU) 8-1
3. Panarese/Jaeger (GU) def. Rodriguez/Anna Guryanova (SHU) 8-2
