Owens Makes First Weekly Report As Griffins Clinch #2 Seed for CACC Championships
New Haven, Conn. - (10/19/2015) – Producing a 3-0 singles record and a 2-1 doubles standing in a week that propelled Chestnut Hill College women’s tennis team to the #2 seed in the upcoming Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Championship Tournament, senior Axé Owens (Trenton, N.J.) was recognized on the league’s weekly Honor Roll. The Griffins opened the week with a 6-3 Columbus Day, Monday, October 12, win over Goldey-Beacom College, then lost in a 7-2 decision at Concordia College (NY) the very next day, Tuesday, October 13, before securing their spot in a sixth consecutive CACC postseason with a 6-3 triumph over Post University on Saturday, October 17.
Exorcising last year's demons, the Chestnut Hill College women's tennis team defeated Goldey-Beacom College by a 6-3 count in CACC action on Monday afternoon. In the process, the Griffins clinched a berth in the upcoming CACC Championship Tournament while remaining unbeaten on the season, and avenging a pair of setbacks at the hands of the Lightning from the 2014 fall campaign.
The Griffins doubled their advantage when junior Laure-Anne Josso (Vannes, France) and Owens produced an 8-3 verdict on the second court, but Goldey-Beacom College (3-3, 2-3) soon sliced the deficit in half with a 9-8 (5) nail-biter in the third flight. In singles play, the Griffins put the Lightning in their rearview mirror, extending their advantage to 6-2 at number four singles with Owens prevailing 6-1, 7-6 (6) before Goldey-Beacom College finished the afternoon with a three-set win at number five, 6-3.
Less than 24 hours removed from the important triumph over Goldey-Beacom College, the Griffins sought a bigger prize in a Tuesday matchup at six-time defending champion Concordia College (NY). The Clippers stayed atop the league totem pole, taking all three doubles matches on the way to a 7-2 victory that locked up yet another top seed in next weekend's CACC Championship Tournament. It was the first loss of the season for the Griffins who only received singles wins from sophomore Lara Scholtze (Bod Homburg, Germany) (#2, W, 6-3, 6-1) and Owens (#4, W, 6-4, 6-4).
?Amidst the visiting wizards of Harry Potter Weekend, Chestnut Hill College triumphantly closed their fall and 2015 CACC schedules with Saturday’s 6-3 victory over Post University. The win placed the Griffins firmly in the #2 seed for the upcoming CACC Championship Tournament, which is scheduled to begin at the Chestnut Hill College Tennis Courts on Saturday, October 24.
Chestnut Hill College (8-1, 6-1) opened the afternoon with an easy sweep of doubles play and used that momentum to surmount a 6-1 lead that only narrowed to 6-3 after Post University (10-4, 4-2) stole the final two singles matches. After an opening 8-1 win at number one doubles, Josso and Owens combined for an 8-3 win at number two doubles. The Griffins took the number three doubles match as well, 8-6, before continuing to cruise through individual play. They quickly extending their lead to 6-1 by only surrendering a loss at number six singles (Bellon, L, 6-3, 6-0) before capturing victory at number three (Williams-Mulesa, W, 6-0, 6-0), five (Craskey, W, 6-1, 6-1), and four (Owens, W, 6-4, 6-3) singles. The Eagle rally ended up coming too little, too late as the visitors grinded out wins at number two (Scholtze, L, 6-1, 3-6, 11-4) and number one (Josso, L, 6-4, 7-6 (4)) singles to narrow the final margin to a respectable 6-3.
The Chestnut Hill College women’s tennis team has now qualified for six consecutive CACC postseasons; this year marks the first under first-year head coach Nate Geigle.
