WESTON, Mass. (Sept. 14) – The Nichols College women's tennis team rolled ahead to a 5-0 start on the season with an 8-1 The Commonwealth Coast Conference victory at Regis College Monday afternoon at the Rivers School. The Bison improve to 3-0 in TCCC matches, while the Pride drops to 0-4 overall and 0-3 in conference play.

The Bison held a 3-0 lead after doubles play with first year Jillian McQuiggan (Weymouth, Mass.) and senior Molly McGuire (E. Sandwich, Mass.) pairing up for an 8-2 win over Megan McCarthy and Ally Kuchera at the top flight. Sophomore Chelsey Miller (Salem, Conn.) and Alex Cifone (Bristol, Conn.) posted an 8-4 victory at No. 2 doubles over Georgia Coward and Caitlin Fitzgerald. Maria Balabanova (Moscow, Russia) and Megan Woodruff (Morris, Conn.) won by default at third doubles.

The Pride got their lone point in the top singles flight, as McCarthy handed McQuiggan her first collegiate loss, 6-2, 6-2. It was all Nichols from there, however, and McGuire made quick work of Fitzgerald, 6-0, 6-1, at No. 2 singles and Cifone defeated Coward, 6-1, 6-1, in the third spot to remain undefeated on the year.

Balabanova defeated Kuchera at No. 4 singles, 6-1, 6-0, and Woodruff finished off the action at fifth singles with a 6-1, 6-1 win over MaryJane Barron. Miller took a default win at No. 6 singles.

Nichols has a busy week ahead with three home matches. The Bison host Wentworth Wednesday at 3:30 in a TCCC match before taking on Thomas (Maine) Thursday at 4 p.m. in a rescheduled match from last week. Nichols wraps up the week with a noon TCCC match against Eastern Nazarene on Saturday at the Francis W. Robinson Courts.

Tennis Match Results
Nichols vs Regis
09/14/2009 at The Rivers School

Nichols 8, Regis 1

 Singles competition
1. Megan McCarthy (RC) def. Jillian McQuiggan (NC) 6-2, 6-2
2. Molly McGuire (NC) def. Caitlin Fitzgerald (RC) 6-0, 6-1
3. Alexandra Cifone (NC) def. Georgia Coward (RC) 6-1, 6-1
4. Maria Balabanova (NC) def. Ally Kuchera (RC) 6-1, 6-0
5. Megan Woodruff (NC) def. MaryJane Barron (RC) 6-1, 6-1
6. Chelsey Miller (NC) by default

Doubles competition
1. Jillian McQuiggan/Molly McGuire (NC) def. Megan McCarthy/Ally Kuchera (RC) 8-2
2. Chelsey Miller/Alexandra Cifone (NC) def. Georgia Coward/Caitlin Fitzgerald (RC) 8-4
3. Maria Balabanova/Megan Woodruff (NC) by default