ITHACA, N.Y. - The Ithaca women's tennis team preserved its Empire 8 record-winning streak and clinched the top seed in this weekend's Empire 8 Championship Tournament with a 6-3 victory over Rochester Institute of Technology (9-3, 7-1 Empire 8) Wednesday afternoon.
The first seven matches were completed at the IC Tennis Courts and Ithaca held a 4-3 advantage. Two matches were in progress when darkness set in and concluded indoors at Reis Tennis Center. The clinching team point was earned at first singles where sophomore Cristina Nunez (Morris Hills/Rockaway, N.J.) rallied from 5-2 down in the second set to win five straight games and win the match 7-6 (7-3), 7-5.
Ithaca won two of the three doubles matches as senior Melanie Cohen (Hatboro-Horsham/Ambler, Pa.) and junior Becky Campbell (Sanford School/Chadds Ford, Pa.) were 8-5 winners at second doubles and sophomore Laurel Salladay (Pinkerton Academy/Hampstead, N.H.) and sophomore Allison Young (Prout School/Newport, R.I.) won 8-3 at third doubles. Young also earned a victory at fifth singles.
The Bombers host the Empire 8 tournament this weekend at the Reis Tennis Center. Ithaca, the tournament's top seed, plays fourth-seeded Nazareth in one semifinal while second-seeded RIT faces third-seeded Stevens Institute of Technology in the other semifinal. Both semifinal matches will begin at 2:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday's final begins at 9 a.m.
Tennis Match Results
RIT vs Ithaca
10/20/10 at Ithaca, N.Y.
(IC Tennis Courts and Reis Tennis Center)
Ithaca 6, RIT 3
Singles competition
1. Cristina NUNEZ (IC) def. Amanda Berg (RIT) 7-6 (7-3), 7-5
2. Maitevera Antelo (RIT) def. Melanie COHEN (IC) 6-2, 6-2
3. Melissa NUNEZ (IC) def. Sara Bjork (RIT) 6-2, 6-1
4. Brooke Brindle (RIT) def. Becky GUZZO (IC) 6-4, 6-2
5. Allison YOUNG (IC) def. Marie Revekant (RIT) 6-4, 6-1
6. Kelsey HARNESS (IC) def. Lindsey Gibson (RIT) 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 10-8
Doubles competition
1. Maitevera Antelo/Amanda Berg (RIT) def. Cristina NUNEZ/Melissa NUNEZ (IC) 9-7
2. Becky CAMPBELL/Melanie COHEN (IC) def. Sara Bjork/Marie Revekant (RIT) 8-5
3. Laurel SALLADAY/Allison YOUNG (IC) def. Brooke Brindle/Lindsey Gibson (RIT) 8-3
Team Records:
RIT 9-3, 7-1 Empire 8
Ithaca 8-0, 7-0 Empire 8
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (5,3,4,2,1,6)