Box Score

NORTHAMPTON, Mass. - The Nichols College women's tennis team began the spring portion of the 2012-13 season with a 7-2 non-conference victory at Smith on Saturday. 

The Bison took two of the three doubles flights to begin the match. Junior Anna Dyakiv (Amsterdam, N.Y.) and sophomore Lindsay Benoit (Holden, Mass.) bested Smith sophomoreJordan Dubin (Southampton, N.Y.) and rookie Kyle Gouchoe-Hanas (Durham, N.C.) 8-2 in the first flight while seniors Alex Cifone (Bristol, Conn.) and Megan Woodruff (Morris, Conn.) topped sophomores Seema Samawi (Damascus, Syria) and Andrea Tanco (Veracruz, Mexico) 8-3 to claim the second doubles flight. Smith earned its doubles point as the tandem of freshmen Victoria von Saucken (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) and Carly Melillo (Chester, Conn.) defeated first-year Michelle Keklik (Stratford, Conn.) and sophomore Kasie Chapin (West Springfield, Mass.) 8-4 at the No. 3 position.  

In singles action, Dyakiv rallied back from a one-set deficit to defeat Dubin 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 at No. 1, while Benoit and Cifone each posted a 6-3, 6-0 win at their respective flights over Gouchoe-Hanas and Samawi 

Woodruff toppled von Saucken 6-3, 6-3 at No. 4, and sophomore Samantha Rydell (Williamstown, Mass.) beat Melillo 6-1, 6-0 at No. 5 in what was described as the "best match of her life" by head coach Paul Brower.

The Pioneers earned their second point with a lengthy match at the sixth flight as rookie Tessy Lopez (Pomona, Calif.) outlasted Keklik 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 1-0 (10-6). 

Nichols (13-5) will play Minnesota-Crookston in Orlando, Fla., on March 19 while Smith (1-8) will next play Newbury on March 16, at 4 p.m.

Contributions from Smith Sports Information