DUDLEY, Mass. (Oct. 14) – The Nichols College women’s tennis team earned its first-ever trip to the The Commonwealth Coast Conference semifinals Wednesday afternoon with a 9-0 victory over Gordon College in the quarterfinal round at the Francis W. Robinson Courts. The Bison’s victory was highlighted by an 8-1 doubles victory from Alexandra Cifone (Bristol, Conn.) and Chelsey Miller (Salem, Conn.) to break the program’s single-season doubles wins record.
Second-seeded Nichols improves to a record 15-1 overall on the year after claiming a share of the regular-season title for the first time in program history with a 10-1 conference mark. Gordon wraps up the year at 5-9 overall and 5-6 in conference play.
With a 3-0 lead in hand after doubles play, Nichols received singles wins from Miller at the third flight and Catherine Jaworski (Berlin, Vt.) at fifth singles before starting pro sets to finish the match.
Gordon’s Kallie Garrett (Bend, Ore.) took the Bison’s Maria Balabanova (Moscow, Russia) to a tiebreak situation at second singles, but Balabanova rallied late for a 9-8 (7-3) win to end the match.
Nichols will play host to third-seeded Endicott (13-3, 9-2) on Wednesday, October 21, at 2 p.m. Nichols defeated the Gulls on September 8th, 7-2.
Tennis Match Results
Gordon vs Nichols
10/14/09 at Dudley, Mass.
(Francis W. Robinson Courts)
Nichols 9, Gordon 0
Singles competition
1. Alexandra Cifone (NC) def. Andrea Metayer (GC) 8-0
2. Maria Balabanova (NC) def. Kallie Garrett (GC) 9-8 (7-3)
3. Chelsey Miller (NC) def. Hannah Osgood (GC) 6-0, 6-0
4. Megan Woodruff (NC) def. Sarah Pitts (GC) 8-1
5. Catherine Jaworski (NC) def. Alyssa Provencher (GC) 6-1, 6-2
6. Nichols wins by default
Doubles competition
1. Alexandra Cifone/Chelsey Miller (NC) def. Kallie Garrett/Hannah Osgood (GC) 8-1
2. Maria Balabanova/Megan Woodruff (NC) def. Andrea Metayer/Sarah Pitts (GC) 8-4
3. Nichols wins by default
Match Notes:
Gordon 5-7, 5-6
Nichols 15-1, 10-1
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (1,5,3,4,2)
TCCC Quarterfinals
Nichols advances to Semifinals for first time in program history
#2 Nichols will face winner of #6 Salve Regina/#3 Endicott
Chelsey Miller/Alex Cifone set Nichols single-season doubles wins record (12)
T-2:15 A-35