Krolikowski, Bonetti pick up singles victories

PLYMOUTH, N.H. (October 13, 2011) – Senior Kaitlin Krolikowski (Massapequa, N.Y.) stormed to a 6-2, 7-5 win at second singles on Thursday afternoon, but the Franklin Pierce University women's tennis team lost at Plymouth State, 7-2, in non-conference play. Senior Mariama Bonetti (New York, N.Y.) rallied for the other Ravens point with a 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 win at sixth singles.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 1-4 (1-4 Northeast-10), while Plymouth State improves to 8-4 (4-3 Little East).

Plymouth State would sweep its way to three doubles points, but not without meeting plenty of resistance from Franklin Pierce. Senior Drew Alexander (Long Beach, N.Y.) and freshman Leslie Rodgers (Westminster, Md.) took Plymouth State seniors Lydia Smith and Megan Cooper to the limit at second doubles, forcing a tiebreak after the match was tied at 8-8. However, Smith and Cooper would eventually take the match, 9-8, after squeaking out the tiebreak, 10-8. Meanwhile, at first doubles, Krolikowski and sophomore Natasha McCarthy (Rindge, N.H.) held their own as well, before ultimately falling to junior Sara Burke and sophomore Molly Heartfield, 8-6.

In singles play, Krolikowski picked up the first point of the day for Franklin Pierce with her straight-set win over Smith at second singles. Bonetti would drop a tightly contested first set against sophomore Cheyenne Lessard, but triumphed in equally competitive second and third sets to get on the board for the Ravens as well.

In all, four Plymouth State players picked up wins in both doubles and singles play on Thursday. Junior Elizabeth Silsby teamed with sophomore Jane Duggan for an 8-4 win at third doubles, before Silsby rolled to a 6-1, 6-1 win at fourth singles.

The Ravens return to the court on Friday, Oct. 14, when they return home to host Merrimack in a Northeast-10 Conference match set to begin at 3:30 p.m. in Rindge.

Results
Doubles
1. Sara Burke/Molly Heartfield (PSU) def. Natasha McCarthy/Kaitlin Krolikowski (FPU), 8-6
2. Lydia Smith/Megan Cooper (PSU) def. Drew Alexander/Leslie Rodgers (FPU), 9-8 (10-8
tiebreak)
3. Elizabeth Silsby/Jane Duggan (PSU) def. Nikki Chalifoux/Melissa Cohen (FPU), 8-4

Singles
1. Burke (PSU) def. McCarthy (FPU), 6-0, 7-5
2. Krolikowski (FPU) def. Smith (PSU), 6-2, 7-5
3. Heartfield (PSU) def. Alexander (FPU), 8-3
4. Silsby (PSU) def. Chalifoux (FPU), 6-1, 6-1
5. Cooper (PSU) def. Cohen (FPU), 8-4
6. Mariama Bonetti (FPU) def. Cheyenne Lessard (PSU), 4-6, 7-5, 6-4

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics).