Southern Maine Falls to Western Connecticut 5-4

Senior Emily Estes prepares to serve.

GORHAM, Maine -- The visiting Western Connecticut State University won four of six singles matches to overcome a 2-1 deficit and post a 5-4 Little East Conference win over the University of Southern Maine Saturday afternoon at the Gorham High School courts.

            The win was the second straight for the Colonials, and improved their overall record to 6-2 (1-2 in LEC play).  Five of the Colonials' six wins have come by a 5-4 margin.  The Huskies dropped their third straight match to slide to 2-6 overall and remain winless in the conference after five matches.

            Senior Emily Estes (Gorham, Maine) and junior Rikki Demoranville (Madawaska, Maine) combined for three of USM's four points.  The duo took a hard-fought 9-8 (2) win over sophomore Olivia Mauro (Harwinton, Conn/Lewis Mills) and senior Alisa Akam (New Fairfield, Conn.) at second doubles.  Estes would later defeat Mauro 7-6 (4), 6-3 at third singles while Demoranville took a three-set decision, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, over junior Carine Jacque (New London, Conn.) at number four.

            USM's other point came at number three doubles as junior Kara Weiske (Nobleboro, Maine/Lincoln Academy) and freshman Margaret Smith (Farmingdale, Maine/Gardiner Area) combined for an 8-5 win over junior Violet Lisi (New Fairfield/Brewster) and freshman Clare Callahan (New Fairfield, Conn.).

            Sophomore Lianne Maynard (Milford, Conn./John Law) and senior Angelica Jara (Patterson, N.Y./Brewster) won three points for the Colonials.  The pair won the number one doubles match 8-4, and later posted straight set wins at number one and two singles, respectively.

            Southern Maine is off until next Saturday (1:00 p.m.) when it travels to Salem State University for an LEC match.  Western Connecticut goes for three in a row on Wednesday (3:00 p.m.) in a LEC match at the University of Massachusetts Boston.