ORLANDO, Fla. (Mar. 17) – The Nichols College women's tennis team improved to 20-1 with a 5-4 victory over Bethel University Thursday in Florida. Senior Maria Balabanova (Moscow, Russia) clinched the match by coming back from a 4-1 deficit in the third set tiebreak at fifth singles. Nichols returns to New England to face Curry on March 31 at 3:30 p.m. in Milton, Mass.

Tennis Match Results
Bethel vs Nichols
3/17/2011 at Orlando, Fla.

Nichols 5, Bethel 4

Singles competition
1. Anna Dyakiv (NC) def. Abby Edin (BETH) 2-6, 6-0, 6-4
2. Lisa Scheevel (BETH) def. Jillian McQuiggan (NC) 6-4, 6-2
3. Alexandra Cifone (NC) def. Steph Brown (BETH) 4-6, 6-4, 6-1
4. Amanda Johnson (BETH) def. Chelsey Miller (NC) 6-2, 6-1
5. Maria Balabanova (NC) def. Kayla Brown (BETH) 1-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-5)
6. Megan Woodruff (NC) def. Xandra Emmons (BETH) 6-3, 6-0

Doubles competition
1. Lisa Scheevel/Steph Brown (BETH) def. Jillian McQuiggan/Catherine Jaworski (NC) 8-3
2. Abby Edin/Kayla Brown (BETH) def. Maria Balabanova/Anna Dyakiv (NC) 8-5
3. Alexandra Cifone/Megan Woodruff (NC) def. Xandra Emmons/Amanda Johnson (BETH) 8-1

Match Notes:
Nichols 20-1