DUDLEY, Mass. – October 20, 2100 - The top-seeded Nichols College women's tennis team defeated fifth-seeded Colby-Sawyer College, 5-0, in the semifinal round of the The Commonwealth Coast Conference tournament Wednesday afternoon at the Francis W. Robinson Courts.

The Bison advance to the Championship match for the first time in program history, and will host second seed Roger Williams on Saturday, October 23rd at 1 p.m. The Chargers finish the fall season, 11-5.

Nichols (15-1) held a 3-0 advantage after doubles play and clinched the match with wins at fourth and sixth singles.

Bison third doubles pair of Alexandra Cifone (Bristol, Conn.) and Megan Woodruff (Morris, Conn.) got the doubles action rolling with an 8-1 win over Siobhan Masse (Southbridge, Mass.) and Melanie Corley (North Sutton, N.H.). Nichols single-season doubles win record holders Maria Balabanova (Moscow, Russia) and Anna Dyakiv (Amsterdam, N.Y.) put the Bison up, 2-0, with an 8-1 win at the second flight over Stephanie Carlsson (Kungsangen, Sweden) and Carolyn Drake (Great River, N.Y.).

Chelsey Miller (Salem, Conn.) and Jillian McQuiggan (Weymouth, Mass.) pulled out an 8-6 win at the top flight, edging Claire Toffey (Barnstable, Mass.) and Liz Lincoln (Plymouth, Mass.), avenging a tiebreaker loss to the pair during the regular season and giving Nichols a 3-0 lead headed into singles play.

Woodruff was the first to finish on the singles side with a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Corley at sixth singles. Miller clinched the match without dropping a game to Drake at the fourth flight, winning 6-0, 6-0.

--Courtesy of Nichols Sports Info

Singles competition

1. Anna Dyakiv (NC) vs. Stephanie Carlsson (CSC) 6-1, 1-1, unfinished

2. Jillian McQuiggan (NC) vs. Liz Lincoln (CSC) 2-6, 2-3, unfinished

3. Alexandra Cifone (NC) vs. Claire Toffey (CSC) 4-4, unfinished

4. Chelsey Miller (NC) def. Carolyn Drake (CSC) 6-0, 6-0

5. Maria Balabanova (NC) vs. Siobhan Masse (CSC) 6-1, 5-1, unfinished

6. Megan Woodruff (NC) def. Melanie Corley (CSC) 6-0, 6-0

Doubles competition

1. Chelsey Miller/Jillian McQuiggan (NC) def. Claire Toffey/Liz Lincoln (CSC) 8-6

2. Maria Balabanova/Anna Dyakiv (NC) def. Stephanie Carlsson/Carolyn Drake (CSC) 8-1

3. Alexandra Cifone/Megan Woodruff (NC) def. Siobhan Masse/Melanie Corley (CSC) 8-1