Successful Tennis Season Comes to a Close

HOLDEN, Mass. – The University of Saint Joseph tennis team Wednesday had its season ended with a 5-4 loss to Anna Maria College in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) tournament quarterfinal match at Wachusett Regional High School.

USJ, the fifth seed, had its most successful season in several years and qualified for the GNAC Tournament for the first time in four years. The Blue Jays finished 6-8.

No. 4 Anna Maria won two of three doubles matches to lead 2-1 before the teams split the six singles encounters. The St. Joseph team of Lisa Wawrzynowski (Newington, CT) and Amanda Willhoft (Manchester, CT) prevented the sweep with an 8-5 win at the No. 3 slot.

Rebecca Mauri (Meriden, Conn.) earned a win for St. Joseph at No. 2 singles while Serena Sundara (Windsor, Conn.) won at No. 5 and Monica Palmieri (Bristol, Conn.) earned a victory at No. 6.

"I could not be prouder of my team," St. Joseph coach Tom Walsh said. "Our goal was to make the GNAC  tournament, we did and then came within one point of making it to the semifinals. While the loss was difficult, I take take great solace in the fact that our three freshman have made significant contributions to our program and there is no doubt that the best is yet to come. Those three carried the burden for the team for the entire season. We bid farewell to April Loteczka and Julie Ann Robinson, our two seniors. They have been loyal and dedicated players whom I will miss so much. It has been a privilege for me to have coached them and to have had the pleasure of their company. I wish them all the best as they go forward in their lives. I know that they will be productive young women who will make significant contributions to our society."

Anna Maria (8-5) will play a tournament semifinal Saturday at top-ranked Simmons College.