MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - With a little of what Millersville head coach
Matt Helsel called "senior magic," the Marauders edged PSAC East rival West Chester in Tuesday's battle of the unbeaten. The victory pushed the Marauders into first place in the division with a spotless 4-0 record.
The win was Millersville's first over West Chester in a regular season dual since 2012, and it put the Marauders in the drivers' seat for its first PSAC East title with three divisional matches remaining--all against the three teams at the bottom of the standings. Tuesday's win did not come without its drama as the Marauders' two seniors--
Jasmine Morris and
Kelsey Heckert--playing their final regular season match at McComsey Tennis Courts, both rallied in the third set to give their team the two points it needed. Morris and Heckert were the last two matches on the court, with Heckert's comeback win at No. 3 singles clinching the win.
Millersville, now 11-5 overall, has won seven consecutive matches.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
• 6-4 wins from Morris and Heckert at No. 2 doubles and
Maria Ojeda and
Chloe Abramowitz at No. 3 doubles proved significant, as it provided the Marauders with the match's first point. Millersville's top team of
Julie Wallace and
Noelle Htwar were edged 7-6 (10-8), ending a six-match winning streak.
• Wallace took her first set at No. 4 singles by a 6-2 score before her opponent retired. West Chester, however, put the next three points on the board with wins at No. 2, No. 3 and No. 6 singles. At No. 1 singles, Morris took set one, 7-5, but Tori Alexander evened the match with a 6-1 win in the second set. Alexander built a 4-2 lead in the third, but Morris rallied, taking four-straight games (6-4). Heckert faced a similar situation, splitting the first two sets with Gabriella Lerario before falling behind 5-3 in the third. Lerario, however, could not put away Heckert, who won the last four games (6-3, 2-6, 7-5).
POSTMATCH REACTION FROM COACH MATT HELSEL
•
On the comeback wins from the seniors: "I'm just really proud of both of them. They are tremendous people and outstanding teammates, and of course, also senior co-captains. Win or lose, it wouldn't change what they have meant to our program, but obviously, this is a great way to cap off their senior years and their last home match."
UP NEXT
• Millersville continues its busy week Wednesday at East Stroudsburg, playing for the third day in a row. By Saturday, Millersville will have played five matches in six days.
