Lakeland/Tampa/Orlando, Fl.) – The SUNY Oneonta Women's Tennis Team opened their spring season several months after a semi-final appearance in the SUNYAC Championships.  Trying to improve upon a promising fall season the Red Dragons lost their first two dual matches in Florida, but bounced bask to defeat Alvernia this afternoon. 
 
A doubleheader was played on Wednesday, March 9th versus the University of Northwestern of St. Paul, MN. Junior Alana Green (Pittsford/Pittsford) and senior Michelle Spencer (Homer/Homer) toppled their opponents at first doubles with a clinic on teamwork and chemistry.  They went down 4-5 but fought back and only let their opponents have one more game and secured the match 8-6.  However, the Red Dragons were down 1-2 after doubles play.  Thereafter the only victory came at second singles as Spencer dominated her opponent and won 6-0, 6-2 as the Red Dragon women suffered a 2-7 setback.
 
After a lunch break and the hour ride to Tampa, the Red Dragons took on the Roger Williams Hawks and were dominated in doubles as the Red Dragons went down 0-3 after that stanza.  The Red Dragons just could not get into any rhythm as the Roger Williams women prevailed at all singles positions with the exception of No. 1, as Green, who dropped the first set, adjusted her strategy by frustrating her opponent with her patience and willingness to engage her opponent in long deliberate rallies. Green's staying power won out gaining the second set with an overriding score of 6-1.  Her patience was her ally throughout the tiebreaker as she took the match with a score of 10-6 in the deciding super-tiebreaker representing the Red Dragons only win of the evening that did not end until after 11 pm.
 
The Red Dragon women were still licking their wounds from the previous days setback when they took on the Alvernia University Crusaders with the intention of salvaging its Florida road trip with a win.  They did not disappoint as the Red Dragons got off to a great start in doubles as Green and Spencer got back to winning form doubling up their opponents with an 8-4 triumph.  The duo of freshmen Erin Tully (Hampton bays/Hampton Bays) and Faith Haedrich (Islip/Islip) teamed together for the first time and took the victory at third doubles 8-5 as Tully served the match out and both Haedrich and Tully let out a sigh of relief after an emotional win for the two of them.   
 
Singles play got off with a lead of 2-1 after the doubles portion.  Green, Spencer won routinely at one and two singles respectfully.  Freshman Michelle Halpern (Rye Brook/Blind Brook) had the match of the afternoon in the mid-day Florida sun as she dropped the first set 4-6.  Halpern, with total resolve and determination, fought back and took the second set 6-2 forcing a 10 point super tiebreaker.  Down 5-6 in the tiebreaker Halpern did not lose a point the rest of the way and closed out the match 10-6 in the decider.  Junior Christine Santarsiero (Rye Brook/Blind Brook) was dominant in her performance at fifth singles carving out a 6-2, 6-1 conquest.  Freshman Gabriella Dybas (Amsterdam /Amsterdam), suffering from flu-like symptoms all week, shook off the ailment and rolled to a 7-6, 6-3 win gaining her first victory of the young spring season at the sixth singles spot.
 
Next up for the Red Dragons is a date with the always solid Hamilton College at their campus in Clinton, NY beginning at 10 AM, Saturday March 26th.