Box Score

Ithaca, NY -- It was a tense, but exciting day for the Elmira College women's tennis team (6-3, 5-2 E8) as they competed in their first Empire 8 Tournament match since 2006. The Soaring Eagles battled over the course of the three-plus hour match, but fell to number-two seeded Nazareth College (7-4, 5-2 E8) 5-2 Saturday afternoon.

Elmira was looking to have a different start to the match today than they did two weeks ago when Nazareth defeated EC 7-2. The Golden Flyers took first doubles 8-3, but the Soaring Eagles responded with an 8-4 win at second doubles to even the score. The match advantage came down to third doubles where Ellen Plowman '16 and Kristi Chanda '17 had jumped out to a 5-2 lead. Nazareth would respond, however, as they would take the next six games to close out the match, giving their team the 2-1 edge heading into singles play.

With the match being played only to the first to five, the Soaring Eagles hit the courts with the mindset of winning and winning fast. Ayaka Yoshino '16 did just that as she handled her opponent with ease, winning 6-0, 6-0 at second singles and tying the match at two apiece. The Golden Flyers took a 4-2 lead with wins at first and third singles, now needing just one more win to clinch a spot in Sunday's finals.

The fourth, fifth, and sixth singles matches were still on the court and EC's players did not disappoint as they fought until the very end. Kayla Fitzgerald '15 and Ellen Plowman '16 found themselves in decisive third sets while Stephanie Tock '16, who had already lost the first set, was fighting her way towards a third set of her own. Tock was trailing her opponent 6-5 late in the second set, but was unable to force a tiebreaker as she fell 7-5.

The loss to the Golden Flyers may have ended EC's season, but there is much to be proud of for this group of Soaring Eagles.

"We walked out of the match without any regrets," said Coach James McGuire. "All of the women played their hearts out, and as a coach, that is all I can ask for regardless of the outcome. I am so proud to have been part of such a special season."

The women's tennis team will take a break for a few months until their spring season picks up in February where they will look to build on the success they have had so far.

Singles Competition
1. Alison Tepas (NAZARETH) def. Amy Schmidt (EC) 6-0, 6-0
2. Ayaka Yoshino (EC) def. Sara Kashtan (NAZARETH) 6-0, 6-0
3. Jean McCarthy (NAZARETH) def. Danielle Levine (EC) 6-3, 6-2
4. Ami Petosa (NAZARETH) vs. Kayla Fitzgerald (EC) 4-6, 7-5, 1-0, unfinished
5. Adrienne Sharza (NAZARETH) def. Stephanie Tock (EC) 6-3, 7-5
6. Krista Pagan (NAZARETH) vs. Ellen Plowman (EC) 6-1, 5-7, 5-1, unfinished

Doubles Competition
1. Kashtan/Tepas (NAZARETH) def. Fitzgerald/Schmidt (EC) 8-3
2. Levine/Yoshino (EC) def. Elizabeth Crane/Pagan (NAZARETH) 8-4
3. McCarthy/Petosa (NAZARETH) def. Plowman/Kristi Chanda (EC) 8-5