DUDLEY, Mass. (Apr. 5) – Junior Jillian McQuiggan clinched the match-winning point in singles action to help Nichols defeat the visiting Recinto Universitario de Mayagüez 6-3 on Thursday afternoon in a women's tennis contest.
 
Mayagüez raced out to a 1-0 lead as senior Joanna Ortiz and freshman Mara Michelle Colon teamed up for an 8-0 triumph at third doubles. Nichols finished the opening portion of the competition with a 2-1 advantage as the top singles duo of sophomore Anna Dyakiv and first-year Lindsay Benoit posted an 8-4 victory followed by the second pairing of McQuiggan and junior Alexandra Cifone who surrendered only one game (8-1).
 
Ortiz recorded the second point for the visitors as her sixth flight opponent retired in the second set. Nichols then began to pull away for the victory. Benoit delivered a 6-2, 6-2 win at the second singles spot and was quickly followed by Dyakiv, at the first singles flight, with a 6-1, 6-2 decision for a 4-2 Bison lead. McQuiggan then defeated her opponent at the fourth position 6-0, 6-2.
 
After sophomore Christine Raymond took the first set, 6-2, Cifone battled back to take the second, 7-5, before Raymond emerged from the tiebreak 12-10 for the third Mayagüez point at the third singles flight. The fifth flight saw freshman Andrea Rivera win the opening set 7-5 as junior Megan Woodruff, making her 2011-12 debut, took the second set 6-3 and went on to a 10-1 victory in the tiebreak.
 
Nichols (13-4) hosts Clark next Thursday for a 5:00 p.m. match under the lights. Recinto Universitario de Mayagüez is scheduled to compete in the Nor'easter Bowl at Wellesley beginning tomorrow at 2:00 p.m.
 
Tennis Match Results
Nichols vs Puerto Rico-Mayaguez
04/05/12 at Dudley, Mass.
(Francis W. Robinson Courts)
 
Nichols 6, Puerto Rico-Mayaguez 3
 
Singles competition
1. Anna Dyakiv (NC) def. Gabriela Rodriguez (UPRM) 6-1, 6-2
2. Lindsay Benoit (NC) def. Nicole Rosich (UPRM) 6-2, 6-2
3. Christine Raymond (UPRM) def. Alexandra Cifone (NC) 6-2, 5-7, 1-0 (12-10)
4. Jillian McQuiggan (NC) def. Mara Michelle Colon (UPRM) 6-0, 6-2
5. Megan Woodruff (NC) def. Andrea Rivera (UPRM) 5-7, 6-3, 1-0 (10-1)
6. Joanna Ortiz (UPRM) def. Kelsey Peterson (NC) 6-4, 2-0, retired, injury
 
Doubles competition
1. Lindsay Benoit/Anna Dyakiv (NC) def. Gabriela Rodriguez/Nicole Rosich (UPRM) 8-4
2. Jillian McQuiggan/Alexandra Cifone (NC) def. Christine Raymond/Andrea Rivera (UPRM) 8-1
3. Joanna Ortiz/Mara Michelle Colon (UPRM) def. Erin Rivers/Catherine Jaworski (NC) 8-0
 
Match Notes
Nichols 13-4
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (6,2,1,4,3,5)
Official: Self-Officiated T-3:30 A-25