Box Score

Pine Valley, NY -- The Elmira College women's tennis team has experienced a healthy amount of success early on this season, earning a pair of 9-0 wins in its first two matches, but today's match against Ithaca College would be EC's barometer to see where they stood amongst the Empire 8's best team. The Soaring Eagles fell to the Bombers, 7-2, Wednesday afternoon, giving the Purple and Gold their first loss of the season.
 
It was a battle right from the start as the two teams battled it out in doubles. EC fell behind 1-0 after the second doubles team of Amy Schmidt '15 and Rebecca Zeuschner '18 lost 8-3. But the Purple and Gold quickly responded and evened the score after Kayla Fitzgerald'15 and Megan Fitzgerald'18 came away with an 8-3 win at third doubles. The final doubles match was much closer as Kimberly Salkin '18 and Ayaka Yoshino '16 were trading games with their opponents from Ithaca at first doubles. Salkin and Yoshino would keep it close, however, the duo would falter late, losing 8-5.
 
EC hit the court in singles looking to get back into the match, but losses from the first five singles matches clinched the Ithaca victory. Salkin fell 6-3, 6-3 at first singles as did Yoshino at second singles, 6-2, 6-3. Schmidt battled to a 6-3, 6-4 defeat at third singles, while Kayla Fitzgerald dropped a 6-3, 6-1 decision at fourth singles. Zueschner fell 6-4, 6-4 at fifth singles, but did not go down easy as she nearly forced a third set until a late break swung the match back in favor of the Bombers.
 
EC's lone point in singles came from the six spot where Megan Fitzgerald was in control of her match. Fitzgerald rolled through her first set 6-1, then closed out her second straight singles victory with a 6-3 second set.
 
The Soaring Eagles will look to get back in the win column on Saturday, September 13th when EC travels to Utica College for an Empire 8 matchup. The match is scheduled to start at 1:00 p.m.

Singles Competition
1. Haley Kusak (IC) def. Kimberly Salkin (ELMIRA) 6-3, 6-3
2. Carly Siegel (IC) def. Ayaka Yoshino (ELMIRA) 6-2, 6-3
3. Allison Vizgaitis (IC) def. Amy Schmidt (ELMIRA) 6-3, 6-4
4. Alyssa Steinweis (IC) def. Kayla Fitzgerald (ELMIRA) 6-3, 6-1
5. Kelly Fishback (IC) def. Rebecca Zeuschner (ELMIRA) 6-4, 6-4
6. Megan Fitzgerald (ELMIRA) def. Sydney Greenspan (IC) 6-1, 6-3

Doubles Competition
1. Kusak/Siegel (IC) def. Salkin/Yoshino (ELMIRA) 8-5
2. Vizgaitis/Steinweis (IC) def. Schmidt/Zeuschner (ELMIRA) 8-3
3. Fitzgerald/Fitzgerald (ELMIRA) def. Fishback/Overholt (IC) 8-3