Score: Hartwick College 6 – Elmira College 3
Records: Hartwick (8-4, 5-3 E8), Elmira (1-13, 0-8 E8)
Location: Murray Athletic Center – Pine Valley, N.Y.
 
PINE VALLEY, N.Y. -- The Elmira College women's tennis team played in its final home match and Empire 8 Conference contest of the year this afternoon, as the Soaring Eagles battled Hartwick College at the Murray Athletic Center. Despite wins at the top of the lineup, Elmira would fall to the Hawks by a 6-3 final score.
 
Elmira's Tilila El Yazidi '20 and Megan Fitzgerald '18 earned the team's lone point in doubles action, as the duo edged a hard-nosed Hartwick squad in a breaker, 9-8 (4). The win was the tandem's fifth straight and improved their record against E8 opponents to 7-1 this season.
 
The two teammates continued their superb play in singles with wins at the top two positions. Fitzgerald made quick work of her opponent at second singles, dropping just one game in a 6-0, 6-1 win.
 
El Yazidi had to work much harder for her win, as the rookie talent rallied in three sets to pick up her 12th singles victory of the season. She jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first set, but her counterpart from Hartwick, Heidi Rice, won six of the next seven games to secure the opening frame at 6-4. The second set was just as close, but El Yazidi would get a late break and consolidate the break with a no-nonsense hold to even the match at one set apiece, 4-6, 7-5.
 
With the overall match already decided, the two netters played a 10-point super tiebreaker instead of a full third set. Both players matched each other point-for-point, with El Yazidi earning the first match-point at 9-8. However, Rice rallied and eventually took an 11-10 lead, giving the Hartwick ace her first match point of the contest.
 
El Yazidi fought off the match point, the first of three straight points for the Marrakesh native, which was highlighted by a sensational on-the-run cross-court forehand pass for a winner. The highlight-reel worthy pass all but sealed the rookie's three-set win, 4-6, 7-5, 13-11.
 
Scores
Singles
1. Tilila El Yazidi (ELMIRA) def. Heidi Rice (HARTWICK) 4-6, 7-5, 1-0 (13-11)
2. Megan Fitzgerald (ELMIRA) def. Rose Natoli (HARTWICK) 6-0, 6-1
3. Kelly Napolitano (HARTWICK) def. Emily Green (ELMIRA) 6-0, 6-0
4. Caitlin O'Brien (HARTWICK) def. Danielle Bliss (ELMIRA) 6-0, 6-0
5. Jaclyn LaSita (HARTWICK) def. Sarah Hill (ELMIRA) 6-0, 6-1
6. Caitlin Hawley (HARTWICK) def. Cheyanne Holwell (ELMIRA) 6-0, 6-0
 
Doubles
1. El Yazidi/Fitzgerald (ELMIRA) def. Rice/Natoli (HARTWICK) 9-8 (7-4)
2. Napolitano/Ryan (HARTWICK) def. Hill/Green (ELMIRA) 8-3
3. O'Brien/LaSita (HARTWICK) def. Bliss/Holwell (ELMIRA) 8-0
 
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (3,4,2,6,1,5)
 
News and Notes

• El Yazidi improved to 24-4 on the year, with all wins and losses occurring at first doubles and singles.
• El Yazidi became EC's leader for single-season singles victories (12).
• Fitzgerald and El Yazidi moved into a tie for first place in program history for single-season doubles wins (12).
• El Yazidi extended her win streak in singles play to seven matches.
• Fitzgerald concluded conference play with a combined record of 13-3 in E8 matches.
• El Yazidi logged a 14-2 overall record in conference matches in her rookie debut.

 
Up Next
Elmira concludes the regular season this Thursday, October 13th, when the Soaring Eagles travel to face the Warriors of Lycoming College. The regular-season finale is slated for a 4:00 p.m. start in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.