OLD WESTBURY, N.Y. - The Bears of NYIT defeated the Roberts women's tennis team, 5-2 on Saturday in a key showdown for a spot in the ECC Championships. 
 
The Redhawks barely missed grabbing the doubles point early in the match. The first doubles team of Andrea Gallardo and Nthabi Mogopodi defeated Antonella Lopez and Kaitlyn Byrnes 7-5.  NYIT won at second doubles.  In the deciding doubles match, Laura Freeman and Marousia Bosch were beaten 7-5 in a hotly contested match against Ann Zilles and Monica Borobia.
 
"The doubles point was huge," said head coach Tom Linhart. "If we had won, it would have put pressure on the Bears going into the singles competition. We played hard, but came up a little short."
 
NYIT extended its lead when Cosima Hoch defeated Bosch in straight sets at 3^rd singles, and Kaitlyn Brynes won over Bijisha Shrestha at 4^th singles.  Monica Borobia then clinched the match for the Bears with a straight sets win over Salome Darsalia at 6^th singles. 
 
The Redhawks points came at 2^nd and 5^th singles.  Laura Freeman defeated Kathryn Ziles  6-4,6-2 at 5^th singles.  Senior Andrea Gallardo was the only double winner for the Redhawks.  She teamed with Mogopodi to win 1^st doubles, and then defeated Antonella Lopez at 2^nd singles in a tough 4-6, 6-0, 6-1 three setter.
 
The 7-4 Redhawks next travel to Syracuse on Wednesday to play Le Moyne College in a non-conference match.