FALMOUTH, Maine – May 10, 2019 - The Colby-Sawyer women's tennis team was edged by Nichols, 5-4, in Friday's NCAA Tournament First Round held at Foreside Fitness and Tennis.

Nichols improves to 16-1 and will play #7 Bowdoin tomorrow at 8 a.m. Colby-Sawyer ends its season at 12-7, after making an impressive seventh-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Colby-Sawyer held a 2-1 lead after doubles action by winning at No. 1 and No. 2. Sophomore Yashu Yang (Kunming City, China) and firs-year Anna Kopituk (Morristown, Tenn.) combined for an 8-2 victory at the top spot over Meg Nathanson and Rachel McDonald. Nichols evened the match with an 8-4 victory by Danielle Mondel and Kara Stankewitz at No. 3 over senior Hilary Boucher (Presque Isle, Maine) and junior Alexa Conlin (Westborough, Mass.). Senior duo Maddy Gemerek (Ballston Spa, N.Y.) and Aislinn O'Connor (New Fairfield, Conn.) teamed for an 8-6 win at No. 2 over Juliana Herrera and Lindsey Kaplan to give the Chargers a 2-1 advantage.

Yang put Colby-Sawyer on top 3-1 with a convincing 6-2, 6-0 victory at the top flight over Stankewitz. Yang finished the year with a 16-4 singles record.

Nichols made the score 3-3 with straight-set wins at the fifth and sixth flights behind strong play from Mondel and McDonald.

Colby-Sawyer once again took a lead in the match with a 6-3, 6-1 triumph by O'Connor over Kaplan at No. 4. O'Connor wrapped up an excellent season with a 16-2 record. O'Connor finishes her career ranked third in career wins with 122, fourth in singles wins with 66 and third in doubles victories with 56.

Needing to win the remaining two matches at No. 2 and No. 3, the Bison were able to escape the victors after a couple of lengthy battles between Kopituk and Nathanson and Gemerek and Herrera.

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