WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. (May 13) – The Nichols College women's tennis team fell to 28th-ranked Wheaton College, 5-1, in the first round of the NCAA Division III Women's Tennis Championships hosted by Williams College Friday afternoon. The Lyons (19-1) advance to play defending national team champion Williams in the second round, while Nichols sees its season end with a program-best 21-2 ledger.

Wheaton led, 2-1, after doubles play with senior Maria Balabanova (Moscow, Russia) and Anna Dyakiv (Amsterdam, N.Y.) finishing out play with an 8-4 win over Madison Hartley and Lyndsay Cooke at the second flight. The Bison scored six straight points in the seventh game to rally from down, love-40, to take a 5-2 lead in the match.

Catherine Teague and Sarah Geocaris were the first to finish with an 8-1 win over Nichols' Jillian McQuiggan (Weymouth, Mass.) and Chelsey Miller (Salem, Conn.) at the first flight. Ellen Van Faasen teamed with Allesandra DiOrio for a third flight win over Alexandra Cifone (Bristol, Conn.) and Megan Woodruff (Morris, Conn.), winning 8-3.

Sarah Geocaris was the first to finish for the Lyons on the singles side, defeating McQuiggan at the second flight. Teague followed at the top spot with a win over Dyakiv. DiOrio defeated Miller at the fourth flight to clinch the match.

Nichols made its first appearance in the NCAA Championships this season after winning the program's first The Commonwealth Coast Conference title in October.


Tennis Match Results
Nichols vs Wheaton College
05/13/11 at Williamstown, Mass.
(Torrence M. Hunt Tournament Courts)

#28 Wheaton College 5, Nichols 1

Singles competition
1. Catherine Teague (WHE) def. Anna Dyakiv (NC) 6-0, 6-0
2. Sarah Geocaris (WHE) def. Jillian McQuiggan (NC) 6-1, 6-0
3. Lyndsay Cooke (WHE) vs. Alexandra Cifone (NC) 6-0, 5-0, unfinished
4. Allesandra DiOrio (WHE) def. Chelsey Miller (NC) 6-0, 6-0
5. Madison Hartley (WHE) vs. Maria Balabanova (NC) 6-4, 1-0, unfinished
6. Ellen Van Faasen (WHE) vs. Megan Woodruff (NC) 6-2, 2-1, unfinished

Doubles competition
1. Catherine Teague/Sarah Geocaris (WHE) def. Jillian McQuiggan/Chelsey Miller (NC) 8-1
2. Maria Balabanova/Anna Dyakiv (NC) def. Madison Hartley/Lyndsay Cooke (WHE) 8-4
3. Ellen Van Faasen/Allesandra DiOrio (WHE) def. Alexandra Cifone/Megan Woodruff (NC) 8-3

Match Notes:
Nichols 21-2
Wheaton College 19-1; National ranking #28; Regional ranking #10
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (2,1,4)
NCAA First Round
T-1:40 A-75