Gophers Win Pair, Move Back to .500 for Season

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — Goucher began a stretch of five matches in three days during its spring break trip in South Carolina this afternoon, defeating Albright and Frostburg St. to move back to the .500 mark for the season.

The Gophers (5-5) handed Albright (5-2) just their second loss of the season with a 6-3 triumph early in the afternoon. Goucher then cruised past Frostburg St. (0-4) by an 8-1 margin to conclude the day.

Albright entered today on a five-match winning streak, but the Gophers grabbed a 2-1 advantage after doubles play. Amanda Bercovici (Hackensack, N.J./Bergen Tech) and Alex Walsh (Greens Farm, Conn./Staples) earned an 8-3 victory from the No. 1 spot, while Alice Goldstein-Plesser (Durham, N.C./Durham School of the Arts) and Emily Ruff (Easton, Md./Easton) grabbed an 8-5 win at No. 3.

The singles matches were played as eight-game pro sets due to inclement weather earlier in the morning. Goldstein-Plesser earned Goucher's first singles point by defeating Christina Peacock by an 8-3 score at No. 6. Ruff picked up an 8-2 win at No. 5 shortly afterwards, and Kirsten Cianci (Bolton, Conn./Bolton) clinched the match by handing Melissa Carberry an 8-1 setback at No. 4.

Walsh added an 8-6 victory over Brooke Ronney at No. 2. In a matchup of regionally ranked players at the No. 1 singles, Albright's Victoria Foanio (No. 23 in the Atlantic South) edged out Amanda Bercovici (No. 24) with an 8-4 win.

Albright's only two losses this season have come against Landmark Conference opponents. The Lions opened the season with a 7-2 loss to Moravian back in September.

After dispatching Albright, Goucher quickly took command against the winless Bobcats, dropping only four games in the three doubles matches. Bercovici/Walsh and Ruff/Hanora Barron (Auburn, N.Y./Auburn) each earned 8-0 shutout victories at No. 1 and No. 3 doubles, respectively, while Cianci and Kelsey Turner (Philadelphia, Pa./Germantown Friends) won 8-4 at No. 2.

In singles play, Bercovici rolled past Frostburg's Amber Beckman, 6-0, 6-1 to grab Goucher's fourth point. Goldstein-Plesser clinched the Gophers' fifth win of the season with a 6-1, 6-2 win at No. 5. Cianci and Ryan Derham (San Anselmo, Calif./Sir Francis Drake) also won in straight sets, and Walsh rallied past Kayla Kirk with a 4-6, 6-0, 6-2 win at No. 2.

Goucher resumes play at 11 a.m. tomorrow morning against Division II Edinboro.