SJC Squeezes by Sage in Final Skyline Regular Season Match

Albany, N.Y. – The Sage Colleges' women's tennis team hosted the Golden Eagles of St. Joseph's College on Saturday in a Skyline Conference match. The match started at Prospect Park, but was forced indoors after the afternoon rain storm interrupted the contest. The Golden Eagles posted the 5-4 win to improve to 9-3 overall and 4-2 in the conference, while the loss puts Sage at 8-6 overall and 2-5 in the league.

St. Joseph's held a 2-1 lead after the doubles as they picked up victories at 1 and 3 doubles. The Gators clawed right back and took a 4-3 lead with two singles matches to be played in the action.

Sage picked up wins at first, second, and third singles once the action was moved indoors. Pacing the attack was sophomore Kirsten Ackerman (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) as she beat junior Nancy Marroquin (Patchogue, NY/Patchogue-Medford), 6-0, 6-3. Ackerman's singles victory put her at 14-1 overall and helped her to a perfect 13-0 mark in dual match play. She finishes conference play with a 6-0 record.

Sage's senior captain Mackenzie Riley (Albany, NY/Albany) connected for a 6-2, 6-1 win over junior Katie Soeder (Patchogue, NY/Patchogue-Medford) and improves to 12-4 overall this fall with a 12-2 dual match record. She wraps her Sage career with an impressive 22-5 record in singles action.

Sage's senior Isabella Pericone (Scotia, NY/Burnt Hills Ballston Lake) posted a 6-0, 6-0 win at No. 3 singles as she defeated freshman Cristina Valente (Medford, NY/Patchogue-Medford), 6-0, 6-0. Pericone went 13-1 this fall and concludes her Sage career with an 18-9 singles record and was a Skyline Conference Second Team All-Star as a junior.

The Golden Eagles picked up wins at No. 4, 5, and 6 singles to turn the tides and take the match 5-4. Senior Katelyn Dorsey (Farmingville, NY/Sachem East) defeated Sage's other senior, Christina Kroder (Catskill, NY/Catskill), 6-4, 6-4. Kroder, who was a four-year letterwinner for the Gators added a win on Saturday with her partner, Ackerman at No. 2 doubles. They beat SJC's Valente and Dorsey, 8-2 and posted a 7-1 record with one another this season.

Sophomore Lindsey Merker (Flanders, NY/McGann-Mercy) and freshman Kelley McGrath (Nesconset, NY/Sachem North) sealed the win with their victories at No. 5 and 6 singles.

St. Joseph's, the #3 seed, will face #2 Farmingdale State in the Skyline Tournament Semifinals this Wednesday in Farmingdale.

Recap courtesy of Sage Sports Information Department