Women's Tennis Opens Conference Play Sunday

Wildcats face Molloy on Long Island

10/1/2021 4:30:00 PM

Match #5
Daemen Wildcats (2-2, 0-0 ECC) vs. Molloy Lions (0-2, 0-0 ECC)
Date: Sunday, Oct. 3
Time: 10 a.m.
Location: Westbury, N.Y. | Eisenhower Park

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW

1. ECC OPENER
Daemen will play its first East Coast Conference match of the season Sunday when they trek to Long Island to face the Molloy Lions. The Wildcats posted a 3-2 mark in conference play last season - the first time above .500 in program history - en route to their first-ever appearance in the ECC Championships. The ECC features a full allotment of six competing teams this season after three opted out of the 2020-21 campaign, including Molloy. Daemen was selected fourth in the ECC preseason coaches' poll, one spot ahead of the Lions. A second match on this trip, a non-conference contest against the Post Eagles, has been canceled.

2. LAST TIME OUT
The Wildcats are coming off a 7-0 setback to streaking Le Moyne. The Dolphins swept all three doubles matches and all six singles contests to remain unbeaten this season (6-0) and in the all-time series with the Wildcats (7-0). Daemen's best opportunity to avoid the shutout came on the third singles court where freshman Kitsa Scime battled, but eventually dropped a three-set decision (6-3, 1-6, 1-0 [10-2]).

3. CLIMBING THE LADDER
While competing at the ITA East Region Championships, graduate student Christina Stasiuk reached a pair of milestones. Her opening round victory in the doubles draw was the 72nd win of her career (combined singles/doubles), moving her into a tie with Jessica Robins for third place on the program's all-time wins list. Only Hayle Scanlan (93) and Gretchen Ringler (84) have won more matches in a Wildcat uniform. It also marked the 31st doubles win of her career as she moved into sole possession of the program's all-time doubles wins list. Stasiuk was competing at the ITA regional tournament for the fourth time in her career.

4. RUBIO TO THE ROUND OF 16
Sophomore Frida Rubio was Daemen's standout player at the ITA East Region Championships, held Sept. 17-20 at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City. Rubio entered the singles draw as the No. 6 seed and picked up a pair of victories to advance to the round of 16. She took down Yana Semerly of Assumption with a 6-2, 6-1 win in the opening round, and followed up with a 7-5, 6-4 defeat of Adelphi's Carolina Chaves. Rubio is a team-best 4-3 in singles play this season, and has totaled 11 singles victories in her career to date.

5. ON THE HORIZON
The Wildcats host defending ECC champion Queens for a 7 p.m. match Friday, Oct. 8 at Miller Tennis Center.

MOLLOY LIONS SCOUTING REPORT
Molloy is a member of the East Coast Conference, and the Lions are led by Dr. Brendan Caputo who is in his third season at the helm. The 2021-22 season marks the first for Molloy since opting out entirely of the 2020-21 campaign due to COVID-19. Only three players - Kailey Chin, Briana Gonzalez and Hannah Niggemeier - return from the Lions' 2019-20 team that finished 4-6 overall and 2-3 in conference play. Molloy opened the season with back-to-back non-conference losses to Jefferson (7-0) and Goldey-Beacom (5-2) in early September. They've been idle since competing at the ITA East Region Championship where freshman Alyssa Bauer was the lone Lion to advance to the second round in the main singles draw. Molloy hosts D'Youville in their ECC opener Saturday before closing the weekend vs. the Wildcats.

ALL-TIME SERIES: DAEMEN VS. MOLLOY
Series Record: Tied 4-4
At Molloy: Tied 2-2
Current Streak: Molloy won 2
Last Meeting: Molloy 5, Daemen 2 | Oct. 11, 2019 | at Westbury, N.Y.

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