DUDLEY, Mass. – The Nichols College women's tennis team opened the 2008 season with an 8-1 home dual match victory over Bay Path College Monday afternoon. The Bison swept the singles side and received the deciding point from sophomore Maria Balabanova (Moscow, Russia), who topped Bay Path's Kara Fox, 6-1, 6-4, at No. 4 singles.
Dual winners for the Bison (1-0) included senior captain Jessica Porter (Melrose, Mass.), who defeated Raquel Babeu, 6-1, 6-1, at No. 1 singles and teamed up with first-year student Chelsey Miller (Salem, Conn.) at No. 1 doubles for an 8-2 win over Babeu and Lauren Hangasky. On the singles side, Miller dropped her first set but rallied to win her first collegiate match at No. 3 singles in a super tiebreak, 4-6, 6-0, 1-0 (10-5).
Balabanova and Molly McGuire (East Sandwich, Mass.) were also dual winners, teaming up at No. 2 doubles for an 8-4 victory over Fox and Julia Bendzin. McGuire swept Hangasky at No. 2 singles, 6-0, 6-0.
Kelsey Urbanetti (Glastonbury, Conn.) edged Sarah Costa at No. 5 singles, 7-5, 6-3, and senior Deirdre Watkins (Hubbardston, Mass.) came back to win at No. 6 singles in a super tiebreak after dropping the second set, 6-0, 1-6, 1-0 (10-5).
Bay Path (0-1) earned its lone point of the match with a win at No. 3 doubles, with Ruiz and Costa defeating Urbanetti and Marissa McLaughlin (Hollis, N.H.), 8-5.
Nichols is back in action at home on Thursday, September 4, against Becker College at 3:30 p.m. Bay Path takes on Mass College of Liberal Arts at 1 p.m. Saturday, September 6, in its home opener.
Doubles
Singles
1. Porter (NC) def. Babeu (BPC), 6-1, 6-1
2. McGuire (NC) def. Hanasky (BPC), 6-0, 6-0
3. Miller (NC) def. Bondzin (BPC), 4-6. 6-0, 1-0 (10-5)
4. Balabanova (NC) def. Fox (BPC), 6-1, 6-4
5. Urbanetti (NC) def. Costa (BPC), 7-5, 6-3
