MIT Takes Season-Opener Against Smith, 8-1

Sept. 11, 2006

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - The MIT women's tennis team began its 2006 campaign with a solid 8-1 victory over Smith College on Saturday. Leslie Hansen and Anisa McCree each picked up a pair of wins in their collegiate debuts.

Mariah Hoover and Yi Wang kicked off the match by blanking Kate Johnson and Macailagh Herman, 8-0, in the No. 2 doubles spot. Joanna MacKay and Hansen teamed up for an 8-3 win in the top slot while McCree and Karina Pikhart rounded out doubles play with an 8-5 victory.

Hoover notched the first singles point as she defeated Seiko Fujii, 6-1, 6-2, in the No. 2 position. McCree posted a score of 6-2, 6-0 in the No. 5 slot as Hansen dropped one game in her 6-1, 6-0 victory in the No. 1 spot. Emily Chen won a tight opening set (6-4) in her No. 6 match and followed it up by shutting out Alanna Dick, 6-0, for the win. Smith's Kate Johnson upended MacKay, 6-2, 6-4, in the No. 5 slot. Wang recorded the Engineers' (1-0, 1-0 NEWMAC) final victory with a 6-1, 2-6, 10-4, decision in the No. 3 position.

Tech lost both of its matches in exhibition doubles play. Katie Smyth and Kerry Weinberg were defeated, 8-5, while Emily Onufer and Jackie Rogoff fell, 8-6. MIT's luck changed in the exhibition singles matches, as it won three out of the five pairings. Pikhart outlasted her opponent, 4-6, 7-6 (3), 5-1, as Weinberg (7-5, 6-2) and Rogoff (6-4, 6-1) both lost. Onufer hung on for a three-set win (6-2, 5-7, 10-5) as Smyth wrapped up play with a 6-2, 6-2 victory.

MIT vs. Smith College
Final Team Score: MIT 8, Smith 1

Doubles
1. Joanna MacKay/Leslie Hansen (M) def. Seiko Fujii/Talia Williams (S), 8-3
2. Mariah Hoover/Yi Wang (M) def. Kate Johnson/Macailagh Herman (S), 8-0
3. Anisa McCree/Karina Pikhart (M) def. Catherine Lydecker/Alanna Dick (S), 8-5
4. MyDzung Chu/Ali Scher (S) def. Katie Smyth/Kerry Weinberg (M), 8-5
5. Francesca Albrezzi/Tina Jackson (S) def. Emily Onufer/Jackie Rogoff (M), 8-6

Singles
1. Leslie Hansen (M), def. Miyu Kikuchi (S), 6-1, 6-0
2. Mariah Hoover (M) def. Seiko Fujii (S), 6-1, 6-2
3. Yi Wang (M) def. Catherine Lydecker (S), 6-1, 2-6, 10-4
4. Kate Johnson (S) def. Joanna MacKay (M), 6-2, 6-4
5. Anisa McCree (M) def. Talia Williams (S), 6-2, 6-0
6. Emily Chen (M) def. Alanna Dick (S), 6-4, 6-0
7. Karina Pikhart (M) def. Ali Scher (S), 4-6, 7-6 (3), 5-1
8. Francesca Albrezzi (S) def. Kerry Weinberg (M), 7-5, 6-2
9. MyDzung Chu (S) def. Jackie Rogoff (M), 6-4, 6-1
10. Emily Onufer (M) def. Alison Fryman (S), 6-2, 5-7, 10-5
11. Katie Smyth (M) def. Vida Chen (S), 6-2, 6-2