Huge Comebacks Highlight Ithaca Women's Tennis Win Over Millsaps
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. -- The Ithaca College women's tennis team rallied from a huge deficit and pulled out several close matches in a 5-4 win over Millsaps on Wednesday during a spring-break matchup at Port Royal Plantation in Hilton Head Island, S.C. Millsaps is ranked 18th in the Atlantic South region by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. Ithaca improved to 11-2 on the season and Millsaps is 7-3.
Millsaps took an early 2-0 lead with wins at first and second doubles, but Ithaca gained a crucial point with a tremendous rally by the doubles team of
Marni Blumenthal and
Kelly Fishback. The Bomber tandem fought off three match points when they were trailing 5-7, then got a break of serve, a hold on Blumenthal's service game and another break to get a 9-7 win.
In singles matches, Millsaps won the first two positions off the court, but Ithaca rallied to win the last four singles spots and clinch the dual victory. Two of those wins came in three sets.
Carly Siegel started things with a 6-1, 6-4 win at third singles, then
Allison Vizgaitis pulled out a three-set win at fourth singles with a 6-4, 6-7, 10-8 win.
Blumenthal was part of another huge comeback, bettering her doubles effort with a win at fifth singles. She dropped the first set 6-0 and trailed 4-1 in the second set, but rallied to win the next four games for a 5-4 lead. After her Millsaps opponent held serve for 5-5, Blumenthal held serve and then got a break to win the set 7-5. She won the superbreaker third set 10-6 to tie the dual match score. Playing on an adjacent court,
Alyssa Steinweis won the first set 6-4 and closed things out with a 6-1 win in the second set.
Ithaca's women's tennis team returns to action Thursday in South Carolina with an 11:30 a.m. match against Penn State-Harrisburg.
Ithaca vs Millsaps
03/12/14 at Hilton Head Island, S.C.
(Port Royal Plantation)
Ithaca 5, Millsaps 4
Singles competition
1. Deena Li Kam Wa (MILLSAPS) def.
Cristina Nunez (IC) 6-2, 6-0
2. Callie Creekmore (MILLSAPS) def.
Haley Kusak (IC) 6-2, 6-4
3.
Carly Siegel (IC) def. Bianca Suarez (MILLSAPS) 6-1, 6-4
4.
Allison Vizgaitis (IC) def. Laura Kebert (MILLSAPS) 6-4, 6-7 (4-7), 10-8
5.
Marni Blumenthal (IC) def. Lauren Pratt (MILLSAPS) 0-6, 7-5, 10-6
6.
Alyssa Steinweis (IC) def. Anna Brahce (MILLSAPS) 6-4, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. Callie Creekmore/Deena Li Kam Wa (MILLSAPS) def.
Haley Kusak/
Carly Siegel (IC) 8-3
2. Laura Kebert/Lauren Pratt (MILLSAPS) def.
Alyssa Steinweis/
Allison Vizgaitis (IC) 8-0
3.
Marni Blumenthal/
Kelly Fishback (IC) def. Madison Brennan/Bianca Suarez (MILLSAPS) 9-7
Team Records:
Ithaca 11-2
Millsaps 7-3; Regional ranking #18
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (1,2,3,4,5,6)