Box Score LEWISTON, ME - The Smith College tennis team began the spring season with a 9-0 loss to Bates Friday afternoon. The Pioneers drop to 1-1 in dual matches this season. 

Match Highlights
Lili and Clara Goshgarian (Lake Forest, IL/Lake Forest) return to the number one singles position after posting a 5-3 record in conference play in their first-year season. The pair came out strong against Friedman and Atwater of Bates. The Goshgarians forced play with their intimidating net play and created opportunities during their service games. The pair forced play until the end, dropping the match 8-3.

In the number three doubles position, first year, Dayana Caluna (Planfield, NJ/College Achieve) made her collegiate doubles dual match debut with partner junior, Miranda Gibson (Bethlehem, PA/Moravian Academy). The pair got out to a quick start, playing aggressive doubles and earning a 3-0 lead over the Bobcats. Caluna and Gibson continued to play impressive doubles, but the Bates team slowly started to make their way back into the match and earned a lead. When Caluna and Gibson were behind 7-3, they played a solid service game, looking to take momentum and stay in the match. After battling through the last game, Bates got the 8-4 win going up 2-0 in doubles.

Marielle Sauber (The Woodlands, TX/The John Cooper School) and Olivia Monos (Wyomissing, PA/Wilson) battled in the number two doubles position. The Bobcats quickly jumped out to a 3-0 lead. Sauber and Monos settled into the match and won two straight games to go 3-2. The teams exchanged games until Sauber and Monios were down 6-5, and then played lights-out doubles to win two straight games to go up 7-6. At 30-40, the Smith team had a match point, but the Bobcats played two solid points to win the game and force a set tie-break. Sauber and Monos battled through the tie-break, saving a match point before Bates secured the win and the doubles sweep

Up first for the Pioneers in singles was Clara Goshgarian (Lake Forest, IL/Lake Forest) in one, Lili Goshgarian (Lake Forest, IL/Lake Forest) in two, Marielle Sauber (The Woodlands, TX/The John Cooper School) in three, and Olivia Monos (Wyomissing, PA/Wilson) in four. The group took to the court energized and ready to take momentum away from Bates. 

In the four position, Olivia Monos (Wyomissing, PA/Wilson) played smart tennis against a tough opponent in D'aquino from Bates. Clara Goshgarian (Lake Forest, IL/Lake Forest) brought her fire-y energy to court and figured out how to disrupt her opponent, Ally Friedman. Monos and C. Goshgarian dropped their matches 6-0. 6-1, and 6-1, 6-2 respectively. 

In the number two and three positions we saw both Lili Goshgarian (Lake Forest, IL/Lake Forest) and Marielle Sauber (The Woodlands, TX/The John Cooper School) using aggressive play to move their opponents. Both made many adjustments through their matches to disrupt their opponents play and keep the score even, before both the 2 and 3 Bates players secured their singles wins. 

Alexa Monos (Wyomissing, PA/Wilson) played in the five position for Smith against Ava Lyon from Bates. After dropping the first set 6-0, A. Monos figured out her opponent. She found her patience, and worked her way into more points, keeping the score even. At 3-3, her opponent was able to win three-straight games to take the match 6-0, 6-3. 

The last match of the day was Dayana Caluna (Planfield, NJ/College Achieve) in the six position. In only her second singles dual match of her young college career, Caluna played creatively to give herself every opportunity she could to stay in the match. Her opponent, and Bates, proved to be too tough for Smith today, dropping the match 9-0.

Up Next
The Pioneers travel to Trinity on Wednesday, March 8 at 4pm. 

About Smith Athletics: Smith College is a NCAA Division III member of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference that sponsors 11 intercollegiate sports. For more information log on to smithpioneers.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.