Box Score

ORLANDO, Fla.  – The Nichols College women's tennis team began its spring break trip with a 6-3 win over Minn.-Crookston on Tuesday afternoon.
 
Junior Anna Dyakiv (Amsterdam, N.Y.) and sophomore Lindsay Benoit (Holden, Mass.) took the first doubles flight, 8-2, while first-year Amber McCarthy and sophomore Kasie Chapin (West Springfield, Mass.) delivered an 8-3 win at the third flight. Seniors Holly Roepke (Osage, Minn.) and Amanda Pihlaja (Duluth, Minn.) posted an 8-5 victory over senior Alex Cifone (Bristol, Conn.) and first-year Michelle Keklik (Stratford, Conn.) for the Golden Eagles first point of the match.
 
The top four flights were decided in straight sets as the Bison collected three of the four points. Dyakiv topped Roepke 7-5, 6-3 as Benoit cruised to a 6-1, 6-2 triumph and Cifone bested her opponent 7-5, 6-4. Pihlaja took home the only straight set victory for the Golden Eagles with a 6-1, 6-3 win.
 
Junior Casey Paris (Fairmont, Minn.) won the tiebreak 8-6 in the second set for the third Minn.-Crookston tally as she posted a 6-1, 7-6 (8-6) at the fifth singles flight.
 
McCarthy battled junior Amanda Newman (Rosemount, Minn.) in her singles debut and emerged with a 6-7 (6-8), 6-3, 1-0 (10-5) decision.
 
"The team fought hard today,” commented head coach Paul Brower. “We got off to a slow start in a lot of matches and fought through. Overall [it was] a good showing. Our top 3 were solid and Kasie and Amber did a great job at 3 doubles. It was a true team win today."
 
Nichols is off until Friday when it takes on Lawrence University. The Golden Eagles look to face Western New England tomorrow at 12:30 p.m.