Ithaca Advances In NCAA Tournament With Shutout Win
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. -- The Ithaca College women's tennis team advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III Women's Tennis Championships with a 6-0 shutout victory over the College of Staten Island in a match Friday afternoon. Ithaca swept the doubles matches and quickly finished the dual in singles play with straight-sets wins at the first, second and fifth positions. Ithaca improved to 14-6 on the season, while Staten Island finished its season with a 17-4 record. The Bombers will face regional host and top seed Williams in a second-round match Saturday at 2 p.m.
Ithaca swept the doubles matches by identical scores of 8-2 at all three spots. The first doubles team of
Cristina Nunez and
Alyssa Steinweis was the first match off the courts, followed by the third doubles team of
Allison Vizgaitis and
Kelly Fishback. Soon after, the second doubles team of
Carly Siegel and
Haley Kusak finished their match to complete the sweep.
Nunez was a 6-0, 6-0 winner at first singles and Kusak won 6-2, 6-0 at second singles to finish the match. Simultaneous to Kusak finishing at second, Steinweis wrapped up the victory at fifth singles. Ithaca was on the verge of winning another match when the players were pulled from the courts. Vizgaitis led 5-2 in the second set at fourth singles. Both Siegel and Fishback also held a set advantage and were leading the second in their singles matches.
The victory improved Ithaca's all-time record in the NCAA Tournament to 5-7. It's the third consecutive year that Ithaca has advanced to the second round. The Bombers will face Williams, six-time defending NCAA Champions on Saturday afternoon. Williams is ranked third in the nation by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.
Ithaca 6, Staten Island 0
NCAA Tournament First Round at Williams
05/09/14 at Williamstown, Mass.
(Hunt Tennis Facility)
Singles competition
1.
Cristina Nunez (IC) def. S. Bragerton-Nasert (CSI) 6-0, 6-0
2.
Haley Kusak (IC) def. Nozima Toshpulatova (CSI) 6-2, 6-0
3.
Carly Siegel (IC) vs. Jean Baak (CSI) 6-2, 2-1, unfinished
4.
Allison Vizgaitis (IC) vs. Madiha Mulla (CSI) 6-0, 5-2, unfinished
5.
Alyssa Steinweis (IC) vs. Michelle Kushnir (CSI) 6-0, 6-0
6.
Kelly Fishback (IC) vs. J. Jamaleddine (CSI) 6-4, 2-0, unfinished
Doubles competition
1.
Cristina Nunez/
Alyssa Steinweis (IC) def. S. Bragerton-Nasert/Nozima Toshpulatova (CSI) 8-2
2.
Haley Kusak/
Carly Siegel (IC) def. Jean Baak/Madiha Mulla (CSI) 8-2
3.
Kelly Fishback/
Allison Vizgaitis (IC) def. J. Jamaleddine/Michelle Kushnir (CSI) 8-2
Team Records:
Staten Island 17-4
Ithaca 14-6
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (1,2,5)