JMU rolls over Delaware, Towson in CAA matches

Zesinger, Brown lead Dukes to two victories

Kathryn Gariano / staff photographer The Dukes earned two victories over CAA teams this weekend, defeating both the University of Delaware and Towson University to improve their record to 11-4.

The women’s tennis team routed Colonial Athletic Association foe University of Delaware 6-1 Friday. The Dukes won five of their six singles matches and all three doubles matches.

This victory improved JMU’S record to 10-4 overall and to 1-1 in the CAA.

Due to rain, the matches were moved from their original site at the Hillside tennis courts to the Bridgewater College Indoor Courts.

As a result of the change in location, only two women’s matches could be played at a time, thus causing the matches to last just over seven hours.

Despite the fact that JMU lost only one match all day, coach Maria Malerba complimented Delaware on their “exceptional depth.” She also noted that “every match was competitive.”

Senior Margie Zesinger earned the toughest of the Dukes’ five singles victories, defeating Delaware’s Sari Shuster in the No. 1 singles match in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4.

Zesinger came from behind to win in both sets.

In the first set, Zesinger trailed Shuster 4-1 after five games. She set the tone at the start of the sixth game with two consecutive aces, en route to winning the last five games of the first set.

Zesinger trailed again in her second set, this time 4-2, but won four consecutive games to take the second set.

“The key to winning these matches is to always stay positive because the momentum can change quickly when two teams play each other,” Zesinger said.

Coach Malerba acknowledged the good play in the singles matches, but said she was “particularly impressed by the way our doubles team played.”

In the No. 2 doubles match, senior Spencer Brown and Zesinger cruised to an 8-0 victory over Liz Perlow and Beth Principie of Delaware.

The young doubles team of freshman Lauren Graham and sophomore Ashley Reyher defeated Delaware’s Katie Miller and Stefanie Riddle 8-3, while the No. 1 doubles team of juniors Kristen Veith and Rebecca Vanderelst prevailed in their match, 8-2.

Veith emphasized the vast importance of the Dukes’ victory over Delaware. Veith discussed that she knew “this weekend would be a big weekend because we’re playing three consecutive matches against conference teams, and we knew we had to raise our level of play, which we did.”

Both Veith and Malerba mentioned that the team hadn’t practiced Wednesday and Thursday due to the bad weather.

Malerba said she was impressed that “the team came out so enthusiastic despite the difficult circumstances of a lack of practice time and transition from outdoor to indoor courts.”

Following their victory over Delaware, JMU definitively defeated Towson University 7-0 at the Hillside Tennis Courts to notch their second-straight conference win.

The Dukes won every match they played among the six singles matches and three of the doubles matches.

The victory raised JMU’s record to 11-4 overall and 2-1 in the CAA.

In singles play, the Dukes never faced a challenge in any of their matches.

Veith was particularly dominant in her match against Towson’s Pamela Zeger, losing only one game, in a 6-0, 6-1 victory.

“I came out really aggressive today,” Veith said. “I never had to play timid, which really worked to my advantage.”

JMU’s doubles teams were just as dominant, winning all of their matches. Zesinger and Brown shut out the Towson team of Alecia White and Audrey Damrongsri 8-0 in the 2 seed doubles match.

The pair of Veith and Vanderelst coasted to an 8-2 victory over Towson’s Sarah Dumansky and Pamela Zeger.

The Dukes are in action again Friday when they take on George Washingon University at 3 p.m. on the Hillside tennis courts.