WELLESLEY, Mass. – The Wheaton College women's tennis team dropped their first match of the season on Tuesday, falling 9-0 to Wellesley College in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action Tuesday evening at the Keohane Sports Center courts.
The loss snaps the Lyons 17-match win streak, dating back to 2009, and leaves them at 5-1 (3-1 NEWMAC) on the season. The Blue, meanwhile, improve to 5-1 overall and 4-0 in the NEWMAC.
The Blue swept all three doubles matches to take a 3-0 lead into singles competition. Marie Watanabe and Sojung Lee paired up for an 8-4 victory over the Wheaton duo of sophomore Lyndsay Cooke (Bakersfield, Calif./Bakersfield Regional) and freshman Alexandra Marlowe (Mesa. Ariz./Mountain View) at No. 1 doubles.
At No. 2 doubles, Diana Granger and Emily Bary defeated senior Allesandra DiOrio (Cumberland, R.I./Lincoln School) and sophomore Sarah Crom (Bremen, Germany/International School of Bremen), 8-3. The Blue's Melissa Clark and Joyce Chen dealt the Lyons No. 3 doubles team of junior Jesse Boggis (Hopkinton, Mass./Hopkinton) and sophomore Morgan Bell (Gloucester, Mass./Gloucester) an 8-1 loss.
In singles, the closest match of the afternoon came in the first flight, where Watanabe rallied back after dropping the first set to post a 5-7, 6-3, 10-7 victory over Cooke. At No. 2, Clark defeated Marlowe 6-2, 6-1, while Granger was a 6-1, 6-1 winner over DiOrio at No. 3. Lee was a 7-5, 6-2 winner at No. 4, Kendall Tada defeated Crom 6-1, 6-4 at No. 5, and Emily Bary wrapped things up with a 6-2, 7-5 victory over Boggis at No. 6.
The Lyons and the Blue return to action this weekend as they travel to Lewiston, Maine to compete at the USTA/ITA Regional Championship hosted by Bates College.
