Salem State Wins 1st NCAA Tournament Match

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – Playing in their first-ever NCAA Regional, the Salem State Vikings, champions of the Little East Conference, advanced to the second round with a 5-1 win over Gwynedd-Mercy in the first round of the 2012 Division III NCAA Tournament at Williams College.

The Vikings improved to 13-2 on the season and advanced to a second round match Saturday against Tufts University at 4 p.m. Gywnedd-Mercy finishes the season at 15-3.

Gwynedd-Mercy took a 1-0 lead when Gabby Muller and Kellie Booth doubled up their Salem State opponents, 8-4, at third doubles. However, Salem State cruised to an easy victory by winning the next five matches to seal the win. Michelle McEwen (Billerica, Mass.) and Lauren Turenne (Reading, Mass.) evened things at first doubles by outlasting their doubles foes, Jessica Scarpello and Taylor Michener 8-5. A key turning point came at second doubles, when the Viking tandem of Carly Muniz (Gloucester, Mass.) and Melissa Govertsen (Billerica, Mass.) won a 9-8 (7-3) tiebreak decision over Caroline Lockwood and Chelsea Jones.

Salem State then took control of the match in singles play as McEwen sailed to a 6-1, 6-2 win over Scarpello at No. 1 singles, and Jessica Spinale (Saugus, Mass.) swept Booth at No. 6 singles, 6-1, 6-2. Turenne clinched the win for Salem when she wrapped up a 6-4, 6-4 straight-set win over Michener at No. 2 singles.