Sweep at Singles Assures 2-0 Start for Baum's Gophers

MIDDLETOWN, Pa. — Goucher came out of the doubles competition with only one win, meaning the Gophers would have to be victorious in a minimum of four of the six singles matches in order to defeat Penn St.-Harrsburg today.

The first two singles matches to wrap up were No. 4, where head coach Sally Baum was going with Alice Goldstein-Plesser (Durham, N.C./Durham School of the Arts), and No. 3, where it was Emily Ruff (Easton, Md./Easton) representing Goucher. Goldstein-Plesser, who along with Leigh Oehrig (Woodbine, Md./Glenelg), was part of the only win the Gophers achieved in doubles play, came out on top of Alyssia Deutsch 6-3, 6-0; Ruff disposed of Stephanie Harnden 6-1, 6-0.

Just like that, the Gophers went from being down 2-1 to being ahead 3-2.

Alex Walsh (Greens Farm, Conn./Staples) and Kelsey Turner (Philadelphia, Pa./Germantown Friends) were beaten at No. 1 doubles by Jessica Miller and Shawna Brandt, 8-6, but they both recorded straight-set wins in singles play. Welsh, who manned the No. 1 spot in Goucher's singles line-up, pinned a 6-1, 6-0 setback on Miller, and when Turner followed with a 6-2, 6-3 triumph over Brandt at No. 2, the Gophers had the fifth point they needed to sew up the overall match.

Goucher went on to complete a sweep of the six singles matches for a 7-2 win over the Nittany Lions (1-1). At No. 5, Claire Donnelly (Frederick, Md./Frederick) disposed of Aiba Diaby 6-3, 6-0; at No. 6, Oehrig was a 6-0, 6-0 winner over Skylar Buschinski.

Goldstein-Plesser and Oehrig provided the Gophers (2-0) with an early in 1-0 advantage with their 8-0 victory over Diaby and Buschinski at third doubles.