St. John’s Outlasts Harvard, 4-3

Sunday, March 10

Cambridge, Mass.

11 A.M.

St. John's University

Harvard University

3/10/2019 9:01:00 PM | Women's Tennis

Coach Leo’s squad wins its third-straight match, improves to 7-3 on the season.

By: Nicholas Diamantis

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The St. John's women's tennis team captured its third-straight win on Sunday, defeating Harvard 4-3, in Cambridge, Mass.

"Today was a battle from the very beginning. We competed well in doubles but fell a bit short," said head coach Lauren Leo. "The team regrouped and demonstrated a tremendous effort in singles."

The Johnnies dropped their first doubles point of the season on Sunday. After Jessica Livianu and Najah Dawson won the No. 1 doubles match, 6-2, the Crimson battled to capture the remaining matches to claim the early point.

The duo of Olaya Inclan Solis and Oceane Garibal fought valiantly to try and earn the doubles point for the Johnnies, forcing a tiebreaker. The pair came up just short, losing the tiebreaker, 7-6(2).

Harvard's Rachel Lim and Anna Li won the next two matches, forcing the Johnnies into a 3-1 hole with only three matches left to play.

Garibal cut Harvard's lead to 3-2, defeating Rachel Eason on the No. 3 court in three-sets, 6-1, 2-6, 6-4.

Delia Arranz tied the match at three points apiece by pulling off an epic comeback in her No. 5 match over Irene Lu, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.

It came down to the No. 3 match between Inclan Solis and Chelsea Williams to decide a winner. Both players traded sets, forcing a decisive third-set. The senior proved to be the hero again, clinching the match for her team for the third time this season in three-sets, 6-4, 5-7, 6-3.

"Every player showed grit and great composure. It was great to see the team support each other until the very last point," added Leo. "In the end, it was an excellent team effort!"

St. John's returns to action on Friday, March 15, as the Johnnies travel to Washington, D.C. to take on the Georgetown Hoyas at 11:45 a.m.

Match Results:

Singles:
Livianu def. Oosterhout (6-1, 6-2)
Lim (Har.) def. Dawson (6-1, 6-2)
Garibal def. Emma Deimling (6-1, 2-6, 6-4)
Inclan Solis def. Dun (6-4, 5-7, 6-3)
Arranz def. Lu (5-7, 6-4, 6-3)
Li (Har.) def. Gabriela Tenorio (4-6, 4-5 RET.)

Order of finish: 1, 2, 6, 3, 5, 4

Doubles:
Livianu/Dawson def. Oosterhout/Eason (6-2)
Lim/Williams (Har.) def. Garibal/Solis [7-6(2)]
Li/Bassey (Har.) def. Arranz/Tenorio (6-3)

Order of finish: 1, 3, 2