WALTHAM, Mass. - Senior Lauren Nigrelli outlasted senior Marcia Gilbride (Topsham, Maine/Mount Ararat) 7-5, 6-7 (7-5), 7-6 (7-5) in the deciding singles match as Southern New Hampshire defeated Bentley University 5-4 in the first round of the NCAA Division II Women's Tennis Championships on Friday afternoon.
With the two teams tied at four, Nigrelli and Gilbride engaged in a back-and-forth match in No. 3 singles that went to tiebreakers in the second and third sets. Nigrelli took the first set 7-5, and Gilbride won the second 7-6 (7-5). By the time they were halfway through the second set, all the other matches had finished, meaning whomever won this match would win the match for their team.
In the third set tiebreak, Gilbride fought off several match points before Nigrelli finally put the match away, booking the Penmen's spot in the second round.
Southern New Hampshire won two of three doubles matches to take an early 2-1 lead. The third doubles match was first to finish, with freshmen Kara Murphy (Worcester, Pa./Methacton) and Ellen Mader (West Linn, Ore./Jesuit) topping sophomore Courtney Blais and senior Meghan Welch 8-3. In the No. 1 match, Northeast-10 Player of the Year Amber Chandronnait and Catalina Echeverry beat seniors Marcia Gilbride (Topsham, Maine/Mount Ararat) and Heather Haggerty (Hanover, Mass./Hanover) 8-4. In second doubles, Nigrelli and junior Alison Waring upended the team of junior Kelly Fleszar (Larchmont, N.Y./Ursuline School) and senior Andrea Hollot (Easthampton, Mass./Holyoke Catholic) by the same score.
The Penmen won the top two singles matches, as Chandronnait beat Fleszar 6-1, 6-2, and Echeverry downed Haggerty 6-1, 6-1. Bentley though won the four through six singles matches. Hollot knocked off Waring 7-5, 6-2 in No. 4 singles, Murphy cruised to a 6-0, 6-1 win over Blais in the fifth singles match, and Mader was a 6-1, 6-3 winner over Welch in No. 6 singles.
The Falcons finish their season with a record of 14-9, while the Penmen improve to 12-4. Today was their first win against Bentley in three tries this season.
Southern New Hampshire will play the winner of the second first round match between Concordia (N.Y.) and Philadelphia University Saturday at 11:00 a.m.
