Oneonta, NY  – The SUNY Oneonta Red Dragon women's tennis team opened up conference pool play this weekend with a split defeating SUNY Plattsburgh on Friday, September 9^th 8-1 and took a setback against the SUNY New Paltz Hawks 0-9 on Saturday.

Against the Plattsburgh Cardinals the Red Dragons played a brilliant match.  Freshman Jacqueline Guidice and senior Alana Green (Pittsford/Pittsford) had some challenging moments at the number one position but their big serves and ground strokes were too much for the Plattsburgh duo.  The number two tandem of sophomore Faith Haedrich (Islip/Islip) and junior Samantha Felice (Seneca Falls/Mynderse Academy) played some big points at the net and set back their opponents 8-5.  While at third doubles junior Kaitlin Ferrara and senior Kayla Houle (Apalachin/Owego Free Academy) went up a break at 4-4 and it held up to allow the Red Dragons to go up 3-0 in doubles. 

In singles the Red Dragons had little trouble completing the victory as the top five flights swept their Cardinal opponents in straight sets.  Green, Guidice, sophomore Michelle Halpern (Rye Brook/Blind Brook), Haedrich and Houle were victors at their respective bouts leading the Red Dragons to an all-important eastern division win.

On Saturday the Red Dragon women were not as fortunate as Oneonta dropped a shutout loss to their nemesis New Paltz.  Although the Red Dragons were shutout the match lasted 4 ½ hours in almost 90 degree heat.  Oneonta lost all doubles flights with just one break of serve against them at the number one and three flights.   In singles number one player Green was on the court for 2 ½ hours and pushed her opponent to a second set tiebreaker but could not close her opponent out.  A similar fate for second singles players Guidice who spent almost three hours on the court losing the first set in a close tiebreaker and the next set 5-7.  Houle at fifth singles dropped the first set at love and then went ahead 3-2 in the second set but could not get any more games and had to take her first loss of the season. 

Coach Mitchel has been trying to close the gap between the Hawks and Oneonta since taking over the helm almost five years ago.  The shutout was no indication of the gap between the two clubs with the Red Dragons pushing the matches to limits.  The Hawks left town knowing they were in a battle for conference supremacy and the Red Dragons certainly hope they can play them again in the championships.

The Red Dragon women's tennis team welcomes Hamilton College to the Heissan Tennis Courts on the campus of SUNY Oneonta on Wednesday, September 14^th beginning at 4 PM.