DUDLEY, Mass. (Oct. 21) – The third-seeded Endicott College women's tennis team upset second-seeded Nichols College, 5-1, in the The Commonwealth Coast Conference semifinals Wednesday afternoon at the Francis W. Robinson Courts. Nichols closes out its record-setting season at 15-2, while Endicott advances to face top-seeded Colby-Sawyer in the TCCC championship Saturday with a 14-3 record.

The Gulls led, 2-1, after doubles play led by wins at the first and second flights. Nichols' lone point of the day came at third doubles where Maria Balabanova (Moscow, Russia) and Megan Woodruff (Morris, Conn.) posted an 8-1 win.

Kate Cioffi avenged an early season loss by downing Jillian McQuiggan (Weymouth, Mass.), 6-1, 6-1, at the top singles flight, and Lori Wardner defeated Alexandra Cifone (Bristol, Conn.), 6-4, 6-4, at No. 3 singles. Emily Annis clinched the match at the sixth flight with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Megan Woodruff (Morris, Conn.).

Nichols was making the program's first appearance in the TCCC semifinals after clinching a share of the conference's regular-season title for the first time in school history. The Bison's 15 wins on the season marked a program record, breaking last year's mark of 10.

Endicott will travel to Colby-Sawyer Saturday for the championship match scheduled for 1 p.m. The final will be a rematch of the 2008 final which saw the Gulls come away with a 5-2 win in New London, N.H. to capture the 2008 title.  In the teams' lone regular season match-up in 2009, the Gulls handed the Chargers their only loss of the regular season, a 5-4 match in Beverly, Mass. on September 22.

Tennis Match Results
Endicott vs Nichols
10/21/09 at Dudley, Mass.
(Francis W. Robinson Courts)

Endicott 5, Nichols 1

 Singles competition
1. Kate Cioffi (EC) def. Jillian McQuiggan (NC) 6-1, 6-1
2. Molly McGuire (NC) vs. Nicole Breting (EC) 2-6, 2-5, unfinished
3. Lori Wardner (EC) def. Alexandra Cifone (NC) 6-4, 6-4
4. Maria Balabanova (NC) vs. Alyson Boehm (EC) 1-6, 6-2, 0-1, unfinished
5. Chelsey Miller (NC) vs. Rachel Layton (EC) 6-4, 5-2, unfinished
6. Emily Annis (EC) def. Megan Woodruff (NC) 6-4, 6-2

 Doubles competition
1. Nicole Breting/Lori Wardner (EC) def. Molly McGuire/Jillian McQuiggan (NC) 8-3
2. Kate Cioffi/Alyson Boehm (EC) def. Alexandra Cifone/Chelsey Miller (NC) 8-5
3. Maria Balabanova/Megan Woodruff (NC) def. Rachel Layton/Emily Annis (EC) 8-1

Match Notes:
Endicott 14-3
Nichols 15-2
TCCC Semifinal
#2 Endicott advances to TCCC Championship