The College of Staten Island women’s tennis team won for the seventh straight time and ran their overall record to 8-2, by recording a gritty, 5-4, win over visiting FDU-Florham in a non-conference match played earlier today at the CSI Tennis Center.  The Dolphins, who last lost on September 11 in a 5-4 match to William Paterson University, have now won eight of their last 9 contests.
Unlike their previous six wins where CSI outscored their opponents by a 49-5 count, it would take every ounce of effort to gain a victory this afternoon against a tough Devils squad.  The Dolphins actually saw the difference in the match get told earlier in the day, as the team went up by a critical 2-1 after doubles play, affording them the split at singles needed for the win to hold up.
After Yelena Rasporskaya and Tara Colao breezed through an 8-0 win in the No. 3 Doubles flight, attention turned to the first and second teams.  Although well played, FDU’s team of Adrienne Nenow and Lindsay Martin in the second spot got the better of CSI’s Justine Kuna and Demi-Jean Martorano by an 8-6 score, setting up the showdown at No. 1.  Both teams gave a great battle and the teams went to an 8-8 draw that had to be decided by a tie-breaker.  There, the CSI team of Gabriella Villarruel and Ilona Stoyko ran their personal record together to 8-1, with a 7-5 tie-breaker win to take the set, 9-8.
When play turned to singles all CSI needed was a split, and they got it by playing strong in the bottom of the order.  The Dolphins won in the third, fourth, and sixth singles flights to post the victory.  Tara Colao won a 6-0, 6-0, winner at No. 6, while Justine Kuna did the same at No. 4.  Rasporskaya had the toughest win, battling over Beth Matusiersky to a 7-5, 6-2, win.  CSI frosh Ilona Stoyko was on the tough end of a three-set loss to FDU’s Megan Shirer, 6-2, 3-6, 10-7.
The winning streak by the Dolphins is their longest under 4th year head coach Paul Ricciardi, who led the Dolphin men to a nine game win skein this past spring en route to a CUNYAC Regular Season Championship.
The Dolphins, who have played seven matches in the last 12 days will now get a few days off before returning to the courts on Thursday, September 30, in a non-conference tilt with Kean University on the road at 3:30pm.