Oct. 17, 2005

Final Stats

FAIRFIELD, CT (October 15-16, 2005) - The Sacred Heart women's tennis team won the 2005 New England Women's Tennis Championship over the weekend, winning two of the six singles flights and the #1 doubles flight to finish at the top of an eight team field. The tournament was played over Saturday and Sunday afternoon on the SHU and Fairfield University campuses.

The Pioneers finished with a total of 61 points to place ahead of the University of New Hampshire and the University of Rhode Island who tied for second with 52 points. Holy Cross finished fourth (41), Fairfield was fifth (39), Montreal sixth (37), Providence seventh (36) and Hartford eighth (16).

Leading the Pioneer charge was junior Pam Pillo (Shelton, CT) who won the #2 singles flight and also teamed with senior Lauren Galatie (Monroe, CT) to take the #1 doubles flight. Pillo opened singles play with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Erin Fleming of URI. She defeated Lensey Dixon of New Hampshire to advance to the finals, 6-4 and 6-1. Pillo met Kerry Trimmer out of Holy Cross in the finals and posted a 6-1 and 6-3 win to take the title.

Pillo and Galatie opened their doubles championship run with an 8-4 win over Trimmer and Carrie Simmons of Holy Cross in the opening round. The duo then advanced to the finals on the strength of an 8-2 win over Lauren Bonanno and Gabi Davila of Fairfield. The Galatie / Pillo team claimed the championship with an 8-5 win over UNH's Olivia Fleszar and Lauren Howard. The dynamic duo is now 8-2 in doubles play this fall.

Freshman Laura Murillo (Pittsfield, MA) had an outstanding New England tournament debut, claiming the title in the #3 singles flight. Murillo posted a 6-2, 6-3 win over Halley Werner of Holy Cross in the opening round. Murillo then won 6-1, 6-2 over Tiffany Heineman of New Hampshire to advance to the finals where she would meet Catherine Garand of Montreal. Murillo came up big after dropping the first set, 6-3, she stormed back with a 6-3, 6-2 win to earn the championship.

Galatie also made a championship run at #1 singles, but came up just short in the title match. The senior posted a 6-2, 6-2 win over Holy Cross's Simmons and then beat Valerie Chacon of URI in the semifinal match, 7-5, 6-2. Galatie faced Fleszar from UNH in the championship, but lost a tough 7-5, 6-2 decision to finish second.

SHU sophomore Jessica Schnell (Schenectady, NY) also finished second in her flight, #6 singles. Schell advance to the semifinals with a hard fought victory over UNH's Sara Wohlfarth. Schnell dropped the first set, 6-4, but battled to a 6-2, 6-1 win. She advanced to the championship match with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Kate Lyons of Providence. Schnell came up just short to Emily Conant of Rhode Island, 6-4, 6-4, for the title.

Schnell and Murillo teamed for a second-place finish in the #2 doubles flight for the Pioneers. The duo beat Lauren Perry and Diana Stabers of Hartford, 8-6. They advanced to the finals with an 8-2 win over Alexis Accomando and Megan Stauffer of Fairfield. The team lost 8-2 to the URI team of Chacon and Sims.

Senior Lissa Von Brecht (Cumberland Foreside, ME) finished third in the #5 singles flight. Von Brecht won her opening match, 6-4, 6-4 over Sarah Rice of New Hampshire but fell in the semifinal, 6-2, 6-1, to Haley Lowenthal. The senior rebounded nicely in the third place match however, defeating Montreal's Karine Touzin, 6-3, 6-4.

The Pioneers close out the fall season this weekend at Army with the ITA Regional Championship.

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