For Immediate Release
October 27, 2007
Contact: Lauren Ferrett

Wellesley, MIT Advance to NEWMAC Women's Tennis Championship

Wellesley, MA – On day one of the 2007 New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Women’s Tennis Championships, host Wellesley College and MIT both defeated their semi-final opponents to advance to tomorrow’s championship at Wellesley.  

The Blue are aiming for their fourth straight NEWMAC Championship after coming into the tournament as the top seed. Meanwhile, second-seeded MIT looks to avenge a 6-3 regular-season loss to Wellesley.

Quarterfinals
In the first quarterfinal of the day, fifth-seeded Wheaton College dominated the number four seed, Smith College, 5-1.  Wheaton jumped out to a 2-1 lead after doubles and then took three singles matches to take the decision.

At number one doubles, the Wheaton team of Catherine Teague and Sarah Geocaris took their match 8-4.  The Lyon’s got a second doubles point in the third flight with Elly Van Faasen and Chelsea Cordes teaming up for an 8-2 win.

In singles, Geocaris picked up her second win of the morning with a 6-2, 6-2 victory at number two.  Wheaton then picked up points at the third flight where Katie Knies was a 6-2, 6-0 winner and at the fifth flight where Maya Milic-Strkalj sealed the victory with a 6-4, 6-0 win.

Smith earned it’s lone point of the day at number two doubles where Catherine Hill/Lydecker and Alanna Dick paired up to earn an 8-3 victory.

Playing in the second quarterfinal, #3 Babson College was a 5-1 winner over #6 Mount Holyoke College.  The Beavers swept doubles and then won two out of the first three finished singles matches for the victory.

In doubles play, Heather Walsh and Courtney Farrell eeked out a 9-7 win over Natalie Hsiang and Meaghan Sloane at the number one flight while Jessica Huang and Kali Hogan were 8-4 winners for Babson at number two.  In the third doubles flight, Lorena Becerra and Jamie Burke teamed up for a quick 8-2 win.

In singles action, Babson clinched the win with victories at the third and fifth flights.  Heather Walsh was a 6-3, 6-1 winner while Lorena Becerra took her match 6-1, 6-1.

Semi-finals
Top-seeded Wellesley downed Wheaton 5-0 in the day’s first semi-final match.  The Blue swept doubles and then picked up two singles decisions to take the match and advance to tomorrow’s final.

Jen Schwarzkopf and Jacqueline Shen picked up an 8-4 win in the first doubles flight while Trish Devine and co-captain Hali Walther paired up for an easy 8-1 win at number two.  Picking up the third doubles point, Meghan Stubblebine and Shivani Saxena were 8-2 winners.

In singles, Wellesley got wins from Shen (6-2, 6-0) at number four and Stubblebine (6-2, 6-2) at number five to complete the 5-0 sweep.

In the day’s final match, second-seeded MIT advanced to the championship with a 502 victory over Babson.  MIT took a 2-1 lead after doubles and then won three out of the four singles decisions for the win.

At number one doubles, MIT’s Leslie Hansen and Mariah Hoover cruised to an 8-2 win while at number three Karina Pikhart and Melissa Diskin paired up for an 8-6 win that gave MIT a 2-0 lead.  In a tight match at number two doubles, Babson got on the board with a 9-7 win from Jessica Huang and Kali Hogan.

In singles play, Babson got a 6-0, 6-0 win from Jessica Huang at number four singles but MIT took matches at number one, number two and number five for the victory.  Leslie Hansen was a 6-1, 6-3 winner, Liz Denys picked up a 6-1, 6-0 win and Melissa Diskin’s 6-4, 6-1 win sealed the victory for MIT.
Tomorrow’s championship match is slated for 11:00 am on the campus of Wellesley College.



Quarterfinals
#5 Wheaton def. #4 Smith, 5-1

Doubles

  1. Teague/Geocaris (W) def. Kikuchi/Fiumefreddo (S), 8-4
  2. Hill-Lydecker/Dick (S) def. Milic-Strkalj/Knies (W), 8-3
  3. Van Faasen/Cordes (W) def. Seiki Fujii/Tina Jackson (S), 8-2

Singles

  1. Catherine Teague (W) vs. Miyu Kikuchi (S), DNF
  2. Sarah Geocaris (W) def. Dianne Fiumefreddo (S), 6-2, 6-2
  3. Katie Kneis (W) def. Seiko Fujii (S), 6-2, 6-0
  4. Elly Van Faasen (W) vs. Catherine Hill-Lydecker, DNF
  5. Maya Milic-Strkalj (W) def. Nikki Anderson (S), 6-4, 6-0
  6. Chelsea Cordes (W) vs. Mindy Chu (S), DNP

*7. Bethany Pine (W) def. Jacqui Sager (S), 8-5
*Exhibition

#3 Babson def. #6 Mount Holyoke, 5-1

Doubles

  1. Walsh/Farrell (B) def. Hsiang/Sloane (M), 9-7
  2. Huang/Hogan (B) def. London/Hartmann (M), 8-4
  3. Becerra/Burke (B) def. Gresko/Tighe (M), 8-3

Singles

  1. Courtney Farrell (B) vs. Natalie Hsiang (M), DNF
  2. Meaghan Sloane (M) def. Kali Hogan (B), 6-1, 6-4
  3. Heather Walsh (B) def. Elizabeth Tighe (M), 6-3, 6-1
  4. Jessica Huang (B) vs. Sarah London (M), DNF
  5. Lorena Becerra (B) def. Beatrix Hartmann (M), 6-1, 6-1
  6. Liz Sheerin (B) vs. Eleni Scordilis (M), DNF


Semi-finals
#1 Wellesley def. #5 Wheaton, 5-0

Doubles

  1. Schwarzkopf/Shen (WEL) def. Teague/Geocaris (WHE), 8-4
  2. Devine/Hali Walther (WEL) def. Milic-Strkalj/Knies (WHE), 8-1
  3. Stubblebine/Saxena (WEL) def. Van Faasen/Cordes (WHE), 8-2

Singles

  1. Schwarzkopf (WEL) vs. Catherine Teague (WHE), DNF
  2. Devine (WEL) vs. Sarah Geocaris (WHE), DNF
  3. Saxena (WEL) vs. Katie Knies (WHE), DNF
  4. Shen (WEL) def. Elly Van Faasen (WHE), 6-2, 6-0
  5. Stubblebine (WEL) def. Maya Milic-Strkalj (WHE), 6-2, 6-2
  6. Jenny Kendall (WEL) vs Chelsea Cordes (WHE), DNP

#2 MIT def. #3 Babson, 5-2
Doubles

  1. Hanson/Hoover (M) def. Walsh/Farrell (B), 8-2
  2. Huang/Hogan (B) def. McCree/Denys (M), 9-7
  3. Pikhart/Diskin (M) def. Becerra/Jamie Burke (B), 8-6

Singles

  1. Leslie Hanson (M) def. Courtney Farrell (B), 6-1, 6-3
  2. Liz Denys (M) def. Kali Hogan (B), 6-1, 6-0
  3. Mariah Hoover (M) vs. Heather Walsh (B), DNF
  4. Jessica Huang (B) def. Yi Wang (M), 6-0, 6-0
  5. Melissa Diskin (M) def. Lorena Becerra (B), 6-4, 6-1
  6. Anisa McCree (M) vs. Liz Sheerin (B), DNF















 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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  Last Modified: October 29, 2007