DUDLEY, Mass. – The Nichols College women's tennis team set a program record for wins in a season with its 10^th victory of the fall, a 9-0 win over Curry College in a The Commonwealth Coast Conference match Tuesday afternoon. The Bison stand at 10-3 overall and 6-2 in TCCC action, while the Colonels slide to 3-10 overall and 1-7 in league play.

Nichols' top doubles tandem of senior Jessica Porter (Melrose, Mass.) and first-year player Chelsey Miller (Salem, Conn.) defeated Kaitlin Ross (East Freetown, Mass.) and Rachel Axelrod (Merion Station, Pa.), 8-4, to improve to 10-2 on the season, one shy of the Nichols season doubles wins record. In singles play, Porter defeated Ross at No. 1 singles, 6-3, 6-1, and Miller won her sixth-straight league match at No. 3 singles, 6-1, 6-2, over Lauren Maloney (Feeding Hills, Mass.).

Molly McGuire (E. Sandwich, Mass.) posted a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Axelrod at No. 2 singles to improve to 10-2 on the season. She teamed up with Maria Balabanova (Moscow, Russia) for an 8-3 win at No. 2 doubles over Maloney and Kathleen Rush (Waterbury, Conn.). Balabanova defeated Lara Abujabar (Amman, Jordan) at No. 4 singles, 6-1, 6-0, for her sixth-straight TCCC singles win.

Senior Deirdre Watkins (Hubbardston, Mass.) made quick work of Rush at No. 5 singles with a 6-2, 6-0 victory, her first in the fifth spot this season. She and Kelsey Urbanetti (Glastonbury, Conn.) edged Francesca Panebianco (Huntington, N.Y.) and Eliza Jones (Pomfret, Conn.) at third doubles, 9-8 (7-5).

At No. 6 singles, Marissa McLaughlin (Hollis, N.H.) earned her first singles win of the season with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Panebianco.

On Wednesday, Nichols resumes its match at Salve Regina that was suspended due to darkness on October 2, while the Colonels host Regis Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.

Tennis Match Results
Curry College vs Nichols
Oct 07, 2008 at Dudley, Mass.

Nichols 9, Curry College 0

Singles competition:
1. Jessica Porter (NC) def. Kaitlin Ross (CC) 6-3, 6-1
2. Molly McGuire (NC) def. Rachel Axelrod (CC) 6-0, 6-0
3. Chelsey Miller (NC) def. Lauren Maloney (CC) 6-1, 6-2
4. Maria Balabanova (NC) def. Lara Abujabar (CC) 6-1, 6-0
5. Deirdre Watkins (NC) def. Kathleen Rush (CC) 6-2, 6-0
6. Marissa McLaughlin (NC) def. Francesca Panebianco (CC) 6-1, 6-1

Doubles competition:

1. Jessica Porter/Chelsey Miller (NC) def. Kaitlin Ross/Rachel Axelrod (CC) 8-4
2. Maria Balabanova/Molly McGuire (NC) def. Lauren Maloney/Kathleen Rush (CC) 8-3
3. Deirdre Watkins/Kelsey Urbanetti (NC) def. Francesca Panebianco/Eliza Jones (CC) 9-8 (7-5)