Wildcats Top Bryant, 4-3, to Win Home Opener

Mancini wins top singles and doubles matches to help lead Villanova victory

Mikelle Mancini won two matches on Wednesday afternoon to help lead Villanova to a 4-3 win over Bryant in its home opener.

March 14, 2013

VILLANOVA, Pa. - Junior Mikelle Mancini (Salt Lake City, Utah) gutted out a three-set victory at No. 1 singles and Villanova (3-4) won its home opener by a narrow 4-3 final score against Bryant (6-4) at the West Campus Tennis Courts on Wednesday afternoon. The win was the third in a row for the Wildcats, who clinched the doubles point and won three singles matches to secure the outcome.

Mancini battled Rosie Byrd in the top singles match and came away with a 7-5, 2-6, 6-3 victory. Just two of the six singles matches went to three sets and Villanova won both of them, with sophomore Sydney West (Washington, D.C.) holding off Stephanie Smyers at No. 3 singles (6-4, 2-6, 6-4).

The doubles point proved to be the deciding factor in the match, as the teams split the singles matches. Mancini and freshman Tori Smyth (Stamford, Conn.) were 8-4 winners at No. 1 doubles against Smyers and Marcela Brandao, while sophomore Kate Pettee (New Canaan, Conn.) combined with junior Anne Cognetti (Waverly, Pa.) to win their No. 3 doubles match, 8-6.

Senior Wesleigh Donadio (Winter Park, Fla.) provided the third singles win for the Wildcats, as she won at the No. 6 spot against Jovana Hadzi-Tanovic in straight sets, 6-3 and 7-6.

Villanova is back in action on Sunday afternoon when it heads on the road for a 1 p.m. match against Delaware.

VILLANOVA 4, BRYANT 3
March 13, 2013
Villanova, Pa.

Doubles
1. Mikelle Mancini/Tori Smyth (Villanova) defeated Marcela Brandao/Stephanie Smyers (Bryant), 8-4
2. Lucy Bird/Rosie Byrd (Bryant) defeated Sydney West/Allison Kuse (Villanova), 8-4
3. Kate Pettee/Anne Cognetti (Villanova) defeated Devlin-Ann Ammendola/Jovana Hadzi-Tanovic (Bryant), 8-6

Singles
1. Mikelle Mancini (Villanova) defeated Rosie Byrd (Bryant) 7-5, 2-6, 6-3
2. Marcela Brandao (Bryant) defeated Tori Smyth (Villanova) 6-1, 6-4
3. Sydney West (Villanova) defeated Stephanie Smyers (Bryant) 6-4, 2-6, 6-4
4. Devlin-Ann Ammendola (Bryant) defeated Allison Kuse (Villanova) 6-0, 6-1
5. Lucy Bird (Bryant) defeated Amanda Nelson (Villanova) 6-0, 6-4
6. Wesleigh Donadio (Villanova) defeated Jovana Hadzi-Tanovic (Bryant) 6-3, 7-6

Villanova University