Box Score

DUDLEY, Mass. – Sophomore Cristina Szepanski (Windsor Locks, Conn.) was victorious in both her singles and doubles matches as the Nichols College women's tennis team defeated Wheaton (MA) 8-1 Tuesday evening at the Pomfret School.

The Bison lost to the Lyons to open the year last season 9-0 before going on to win 10 of their next 12 matches in the month of September.

Nichols and Wheaton (MA) were neck and neck after two doubles matches until freshman Ashley Dallaire (East Bridgewater, Mass.) and her classmate Daniela Saldarriaga (Medellin, Columbia) defeated junior Stassy Furber (Monpelier, Vt.) and senior Kathryn Burleson (Osterville, Mass.) 8-3 at No. 3 doubles. Bison led 2-1 headed into singles play.

Senior captain, and reigning Commonwealth Coast Conference Player of the Week, Lindsay Benoit (Holden, Mass.) and Szepanski knocked off the No. 2 pairing of juniors Izzy Gorham (Durham, N.H.) and Carolina DiNicola-Fawley (Brattleboro, Vt.) 8-1.

The Lyons lone win on the day came at No. 1 doubles when senior Alexandra Marlowe (Mesa, Ariz.) and sophomore Amanda Brazell (Las Vegas, Nev.) defeated freshman Alanna Judd (Westborough, Mass.) and her classmate Lauren Candia (Anaheim Hills, Calif.) 8-1.

At No. 1 singles Judd dropped the first set to Brazell before going on to win the match 1-6, 6-4, 10-6. Benoit, like Judd, dropped the first set before going on to defeat DiNicola at No. 3 singles 4-6, 6-0, 6-1.

The Bison swept the remaining four singles matches in straight sets. Szepanski defeated Gorham 6-1, 6-4 at No. 2 singles, while at No. 4 singles Candia took care of Burleson 6-1, 6-1.

At No. 5 singles, Dallaire proved to be too much for Furber, winning 6-1, 6-2. Saldarriaga took care of Stanclift at No. 6 singles 6-2, 6-2 to round out the evening.

"I am excited about the way our ladies played today," said Nichols head coach Paul Brower. "Our two and three doubles played very well. Alanna and Lindsay deserve a lot of credit for shaking off first set losses. Those wins are a big part of our team learning how to win matches."

The Bison return to action on Thursday when they play host to Assumption at 4:00 p.m. at the Pomfret School. The Lyons host conference foe Mount Holyoke on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.