Four Golden Bears Compete at NEWITT

SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. (October 15, 2019) – Four members of the Western New England University women's tennis team competed at the New England Women's Intercollegiate Tennis Tournament (NEWITT) over the weekend at Mount Holyoke College and Smith College.

Senior Morgan Schrader (Burnt Hills, N.Y.) provided the highlight of the tournament for Western New England with her 4-6, 7-5, 11-9 upset victory over Ruhi Kamdar of Middlebury College in the C Draw on Friday.

Middlebury was able to advance, however, as Caitlin Neal defeated junior Maylene LaPress (Bedford, N.H.) 6-0, 6-0, and the duo of Neal and Kamdar registered an 8-1 doubles triumph over Schrader and LaPress.

On Saturday, Schrader and LaPress posted an 8-3 doubles victory against Wheaton College's team of Elizabeth Michaud and Katie Steinberg. LaPress came from behind to top Steinberg, 2-5, 7-5, 10-8, while Schrader took care of Michaud, 6-1, 6-1.

LaPress and Schrader were eventually eliminated in the consolation semifinals against Ashley Keaveney and Cara McCormack of Endicott College. The Gulls topped the Golden Bears 8-2 in doubles play, while Keaveney and McCormack won by scores of 6-4, 2-5, 10-8 and 6-1, 6-1, respectively.

Also competing for Western New England was senior Rachel Bauer (Palmer, Mass.) and junior Jessica Cote (Groton, Conn.) in the D Draw. Bauer and Cote lost an 8-0 doubles decision to Springfield College's Juliette Piazza and Heidi Schuman, while Piazza edged Bauer 6-2, 6-3 and Scuman won a tight battle over Cote, 6-4, 2-6, 10-5.

Bauer and Cote later faced Smith College's Ashley Felix and Kara Van Allen, with Bauer earning a singles victory over Van Allen.