Ithaca Stays Unbeaten; Elmira Clinches E8 Berth
Ithaca 5, Stevens 1
The Ithaca College women's tennis team won 5-1 at Stevens Institute of Technology in a matchup of undefeated teams Sunday afternoon. The Bombers won two of the three doubles matches and then dominated three singles wins to pick up the dual victory. The match was suspended due to weather and moved from Stevens to Edgewater Indoor Facility, where it was completed. Due to the change of venue, the match was played to the point where a winner was determined and three singles matches were unfinished.
Ithaca is 7-0 in dual matches and 6-0 in the Empire 8. Stevens fell to 8-1 overall and 5-1 in the conference. Ithaca returns to action Tuesday at home against Hartwick at 4 p.m.
The Bombers started the day with a win at third doubles by
Alyssa Steinweis (East Brunswick, N.J./East Brunswick) and
Allison Vizgaitis (Fayetteville/Fayetteville-Manlius) and took a 2-0 lead when
Marni Blumenthal (Gladwyne, Pa./Harriton) and
Haley Kusak (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Sutherland) won at second doubles. Steinweis, Blumenthal and
Carly Siegel (Dix Hills/Half Hollow Hills West) won singles matches to clinch the victory.
Singles competition
1. Jessica Bourque (SITW) vs.
Cristina Nunez (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Hills) (IC) 4-4, unfinished
2. Lisa Tessitore (SITW) vs.
Haley Kusak (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Sutherland) (IC) 0-3, unfinished
3. Danielle Stewart (SITW) vs.
Allison Vizgaitis (Fayetteville/Fayetteville-Manlius) (IC) 6-4, 1-2, unfinished
4.
Carly Siegel (Dix Hills/Half Hollow Hills West) (IC) def. Elena Cocineva-Lenge (SITW) 6-1, 6-2
5.
Marni Blumenthal (Gladwyne, Pa./Harriton) (IC) def. Jillian Morneau (SITW) 6-1, 6-2
6.
Alyssa Steinweis (East Brunswick, N.J./East Brunswick) (IC) def. Lily Bruenjes (SITW) 6-3, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. Lisa Tessitore/Jessica Bourque (SITW) def.
Cristina Nunez (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Hills)/
Allison Young (Newport, R.I./The Prout School) (IC) 8-2
2.
Marni Blumenthal (Gladwyne, Pa./Harriton)/
Haley Kusak (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Sutherland) (IC) def. Danielle Stewart/Elena Cocineva-Lenge (SITW) 8-4
3.
Alyssa Steinweis (East Brunswick, N.J./East Brunswick)/
Allison Vizgaitis(Fayetteville/Fayetteville-Manlius) (IC) def. Lily Bruenjes/Arden Servidio (SITW) 8-1
Elmira 5, Stevens 3
The Elmira College women's tennis team (6-2, 5-2 E8) closed out their regular season in impressive fashion, traveling to Hoboken, NJ and knocking off perennial Empire 8 powerhouse, Stevens Tech 5-3. With the win, the Soaring Eagles are now tied for second in the Empire 8 Conference at 5-2 and have clinched a berth into the conference tournament.
The start of the match was delayed due to inclement weather, but after relocating indoors, doubles action got underway. Stevens took a 1-0 lead after winning 8-0 at first doubles. EC, however, would bounce right back and even the match when
Ellen Plowman '16 and
Kristi Chanda '17 would walk off the court with an 8-5 victory at third doubles. The advantage going into singles came down to the close second doubles match. Leading 7-6,
Ayaka Yoshino '16 and
Danielle Levine '17 would hold strong as they defeated the second doubles team from Stevens 8-6 and gave Elmira a 2-1 advantage heading into singles.
The Purple and Gold only needed three of the six women on the court to win their singles matches to clinch the victory. EC gained a 3-1 edge when
Stephanie Tock '16, who had already won her first set, closed out a 7-6 second set with a 7-5 score in the tiebreaker. Stevens was able to tie up the match at three a piece shortly after as they would win at first and third singles, but Plowman did her job at the sixth position, winning 6-4, 7-6 (1), and put Elmira back in the driver's seat.
With the match on the line, it would come down to Yoshino and
Kayla Fitzgerald '15 at second and fourth singles respectively. Yoshino had not lost in a dual-match setup since September 5th, but found herself in a battle as her match had gone into a third set. She did not have to finish her third set however, as it was Fitzgerald who would put the nail in the coffin and clinch the match for the Soaring Eagles, taking care of her opponent with an easy 6-1, 6-0 victory.
The 5-3 win marks the first victory EC has had in the seven year history of this matchup as Stevens had beaten the Soaring Eagles every year since becoming an Empire 8 member college in 2007.
With the conclusion of their regular season, Elmira will participate in the New York State Women's Tennis Championships this weekend, October 11th and 12th, before the Empire 8 Conference tournament the following weekend.
Singles Competition
1. Jessica Bourque (STEVENS) def.
Amy Schmidt (EC) 6-0, 6-0
2. Lisa Tessitore (STEVENS) vs.
Ayaka Yoshino (EC) 3-6, 6-4, 2-3, unfinished
3. Danielle Stewart (STEVENS) def.
Danielle Levine (EC) 6-0, 6-1
4.
Kayla Fitzgerald (EC) def. Allie Masciane (STEVENS) 6-1, 6-0
5.
Stephanie Tock (EC) def. Jillian Morneau (STEVENS) 6-3, 7-6 (7-5)
6.
Ellen Plowman (EC) def. Lily Bruenjes (STEVENS) 6-4, 7-6 (7-1)
Doubles Competition
1. Bourque/Tessitore (STEVENS) def. Schmidt/Fitzgerald (EC) 8-0
2. Levine/Yoshino (EC) def. Stewart/Elena Cocineva (STEVENS) 8-6
3.
Kristi Chanda/Plowman (EC) def. Masciane/Bruenjes (STEVENS) 8-5