WORCESTER, Mass. - Senior captain Alex Cifone (Bristol, Conn.) registered her 40th singles victory and also helped Nichols capture the first doubles flight in her first appearance as part of the top pairing since 2009 to lead the Bison past Division II Assumption, 7-2, on Monday. The shorthanded Nichols lineup recorded its third consecutive victory over the Greyhounds to even out at 4-4 on the season as Assumption falls to 0-3.
 
Cifone teamed with sophomore Lindsay Benoit (Holden, Mass.) to take the first doubles flight, 8-4, while junior Erin Rivers (Bristol, Conn.) and senior Megan Woodruff (Morris, Conn.) posted an 8-3 win at the second doubles flight.
 
Benoit dispatched her opponent 6-3, 6-2 as Cifone took the first set of her flight 7-5 before closing out the match with a 6-4 second set. Rivers dropped the opening set of her flight 7-5 before taking the next two sets 6-1 and 6-4 to clinch the match for the Bison. Woodruff and sophomore Katie Malloy (Norwell, Mass.) each had lengthy matches as Woodruff delivered a 7-5, 3-6, 1-0 (10-8) victory and Malloy turned in a 6-3, 6-7, 1-0 win.
 
“Erin Rivers played the best doubles of her career,” stated Head Women's Tennis Coach Paul Brower. “Katie and Meg put together great efforts to win tight matches in near darkness.”
 
Nichols begins a two-match homestand beginning with Curry on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. 

Tennis Match Results
Nichols 7, Assumption 2
09/17/12 at Worcester, Mass. (Assumption Courts)
 
Singles competition
1. Lindsay Benoit (NC) def. Marie Black (AC) 6-3, 6-2
2. Alex Cifone (NC) def. Erica Micciche (AC) 7-6, 6-4
3. Megan Woodruff (NC) def. Paige Gilet (AC) 7-5, 3-6, 1-0 (10-8)
4. Cassy Waung (AC) def. Nicole Marziarz (NC) 6-0, 7-5
5. Katie Malloy (NC) def. Meg Hall (AC) 6-3, 6-7, 1-0
6. Erin Rivers (NC) def. Melanie McCauley (AC) 5-7, 6-1, 6-4
 
Doubles competition
1. Lindsay Benoit/Alex Cifone (NC) def. Marie Black/Cassy Waung (AC) 8-4
2. Megan Woodruff/Nicole Marziarz (NC) def. Erica Micciche/Meg Hall (AC) 8-3
3. Paige Gilet/Paige Palmero (AC) def. Katie Malloy/Michelle Keklik (NC) 8-1
 
Match Notes
Nichols 4-4
Assumption 0-3