Orlando, FL — The State University of New York at New Paltz played its third straight game down in Orlando, Florida against St. Lawrence University Wednesday and lost, 8-1.
 
Despite the final score, the match was tight with two doubles matches and two singles matchups going into tiebreakers.
 
"We need to be a little bit more consistent," said Hawks coach Rob Bruley. "Something we're going to bring back to practice this week, cut out unforced errors and double faults. Fatigue has kicked in, just got to adapt quickly and it's the same for the teams we're playing. Hopefully going into one more match tomorrow at the national campus, great experience for the program. It's a great facility and location to play."
 
The only win SUNY New Paltz recorded came at first singles with Trinity Chow defeating the Saints' Lillian Sullivan handily, 6-1, 6-2. Chow and first singles partner Anya Barteck nearly came away with the victory against Sullivan and Elan Styliades, but lost the tie-break 7-3, and the match 8-7. 
Isabel van der Veen and Loretta Donovan also went into a tiebreaker against St. Lawrence second doubles duo of Meredith Macey and Emily Harris but fell 7-2 in the final set to also lose, 8-7. The Hawks' Onalee Batcheller and Loretta Donovan each went into a third set in their third and sixth singles matches, respectively. Batcheller came back after dropping the first set to the Saints' Caitlyn Avery, 6-2 to win the second 6-2, but lost the third. 10-7. Donovan faced Styliades and lost, 7-5, 2-6, 7-10.
 
"When you get into the tiebreaker you have to start off quickly and if you don't start quickly, you're always chasing the score," Bruley added. "You get three points behind and its tough, you make an error, you double fault and it's all about momentum."
 
SUNY New Paltz will finish its Florida trip Thursday against another tough opponent in Colby-Sawyer College with the two playing at the USTA National Campus at 9:30 a.m.
 
"We should match up well there," Bruley said. "I put this tough schedule together to really challenge them. I wanted each match to be a challenge and even today everyone gave it everything we just came up a little bit short."

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