Boxscore
PIKE CREEK, Del. – With the match and an undefeated season on the line, freshman Marie-Louise Klein provided a clutch victory at No. 2 singles to clinch a thrilling, 5-4 victory over Philadelphia University on Fri. afternoon at McKean High School.
“She was up 4-1, but she knew full well that she was the deciding point for a team win, and she won two out of the next three games to finish off the match,” head coach Joe Kissel said of Klein's 6-3, 6-2 singles win over Philadelphia's Sayre Limburg.
With the win, the Lightning improved to 5-0 overall and 4-0 in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference while the Rams fell to 3-3 (2-1 CACC).
GBC, who twice now has been able to rally from a 2-1 deficit after doubles play, collected wins in four of the six singles matches to complete the come-from-behind match victory.
“It was truly a team effort today,” Kissel said.
The Lightning were without freshman Gabriela Chaves today as she was suffering from a severe blister on her right foot. Chaves is normally GBC's No. 6 singles player and sophomore Blanca Sancho's partner at No. 2 doubles.
Without Chaves, Kissel teamed Sancho with junior Marina Sales at No. 1 doubles and Klein with sophomore Melanie Bonomo at No. 2. Both teams gave valiant efforts, but the Rams took away wins at both spots by scores of 8-5 and 8-2, respectively.
Sophomore Vanessa Leon and freshman Laura Cure stayed unbeaten (5-0) at third doubles with a dominating, 8-0 win over Kate MacQueen and Liz Verbits.
In singles action, senior Luciana Pereira filled in nicely for Chaves with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Michelle Dunn to improve to 2-0 on the season. Cure had no trouble downing Verbits, 6-1, 6-0 at No. 5, and Bonomo defeated Brittany Villa, 6-0, 6-1 at No. 4. Both Cure and Bonomo are 5-0 on the season in singles play.
Sancho gave Philadelphia's Isabella Espinosa a fight at No. 1 singles but was outlasted, 6-3, 6-3. Sales also dropped her match at No. 3 singles to the Rams' No. 1 player from last season, Daniela Rodriguez, 6-0, 6-2.
Suddenly, the only two players left on the courts were Klein and Limburg, and with her entire team and a spirited group of fans cheering her on, Klein finished off the match with an overhead slam right in front of the net that bounced right in front of Limburg and sailed over her head.
GBC, who defeated Philadelphia for the first time in program history last season, has now won the last two meetings in the series. The Lightning next take on CACC foe Post University in Waterbury, Conn. on Sun. Sept. 26 at 1 p.m.
