Asia-Leigh Hollis and her doubles partner Laila Haraj-Sai helped Wheaton College (Mass.) women's tennis complete an undefeated run to finish as Co-Champions in the C Draw of the New England Women's Tennis Invitational Tournament hosted by Smith College and Amherst College in Northampton, Mass. and Amherst, Mass., respectively.
The tournament consists of each player playing a singles match against the other team's duo and a doubles match, while advancing in a best of three situation at the Smith Outdoor Tennis Courts in Northampton, Mass.
Haraj-Sai and Hollis were set up to face Lyon senior teammates Kara Greenlee and Alissa Ortiz in the bracket's championship pod and both pairs elected to share the NEWITT C Draw crown instead of playing against each other. The decision ensured that Haraj-Sai and Hollis would repeat as C Draw Champions after winning the same bracket in last year's NEWITT with an undefeated string of pod matches.
Both tandems won their first pods on the second day of the tournament.
Haraj-Sai and Hollis took on sophomores Tabitha Bastress and Isabel Benitez-Barron and senior Dayana Caluna . Haraj-Sai defeated Bastress, 8-3, while Hollis defeated Benitez-Barron, 8-1, in singles play. The Wheaton duo completed the sweep with a doubles win over Caluna and Bastress, 6-2.
Haraj-Sai and Hollis in their Semi-Final match, took on Gordon College juniors Chloe Hanley and Serena Ross. Haraj-Sai and Hollis went undefeated again, winning all three matches to finish the tournament with a 10-2 match record and a perfect 4-0 mark in pod play. Haraj-Sai battled to a 7-5, 6-3 win over Hanley. Hollis also won in straight sets in a comfortable 6-3, 6-1 effort over Ross. The Wheaton duo closed out the pod with a 6-2 doubles in over Hanley and Ross.
|
