Sydney Diamond, Dickinson
LANCASTER, Pa. - The #5-seeded Dickinson women's tennis team knocked off #4-seed Franklin & Marshall in a thrilling first round match of the 2016 Centennial Conference Championship on Tuesday afternoon. The Red Devils went up 2-1 after doubles and claimed three singles matches to advance to Saturday's semifinals with the program's first conference playoff win, 5-3.
Senior Sydney Diamond (Westford, Mass./Westford Academy) led the way, earning two points on the day. She partnered with sophomore Lauren Altschuler (Malvern, Pa./Eastern) to open with an 8-5 win in the top doubles spot. Diamond battled through some great rallies to earn a straight set victory in the second singles flight, winning (6-2, 6-2).
Juniors Madison Parks (Denton, Md./North Caroline) and Joana Nunes (Carcavelos, Portugal/St. Julian's School) gave the Devils a 2-1 lead, taking the second doubles flight, 8-4. Parks turned in a dominant performance in the third singles flight, rolling to a (6-2, 6-2) decision.
Nunes used a strong start to jump out to an early lead, taking the first set 6-2. She survived a challenge in the second, holding on in marathon set, winning the tie-breaker 8-6 to claim the set and the match, 7-6.
The Red Devils were almost up 3-0 in doubles as Elizabeth Marin (Camp Hill, Pa./Cumberland Valley) and Lydia Fox (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Arlington) put up a fight in the third flight before dropping a close, 9-7 decision.
The Red Devils improve to 10-5 overall as they advance to Saturday's semifinal match-up at #1-seed Johns Hopkins University at 3:00 pm. Washington College will face Swarthmore in the other semifinal at 11:00 am.
Dickinson 5, #17 Franklin & Marshall 3
May 03, 2016 at Lancaster, Pa.
| Singles competition |
| 1. Nicole Russo (F&MW) def. Lauren Altschuler (DCW) 6-1, 6-3 |
| 2. Sydney Diamond (DCW) def. Tara Buchney (F&MW) 6-2, 6-2 |
| 3. Madison Parks (DCW) def. Sarah Haas (F&MW) 6-2, 6-2 |
| 4. Joana Nunes (DCW) def. Emily Gruenberg (F&MW) 6-2, 7-6 (10-6) |
| 5. Gavriel Rubenstein (F&MW) def. Elizabeth Marin (DCW) 6-1, 6-1 |
| 6. Allysan Breece (F&MW) vs. Lydia Fox (DCW) 6-7, 3-2, unfinished |
| Doubles competition |
| 1. Sydney Diamond/Lauren Altschuler (DCW) def. Nicole Russo/Emily Gruenberg (F&MW) 8-5 |
| 2. Madison Parks/Joana Nunes (DCW) def. Tara Buchney/Sarah Haas (F&MW) 8-4 |
| 3. Gavriel Rubenstein/Allysan Breece (F&MW) def. Lydia Fox/Elizabeth Marin (DCW) 9-7 |
| Match Notes |
| Dickinson 9-5 |
| Franklin & Marshall 9-10; Regional ranking #17 |
| Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (5,1,2,3,4) |
| 2016 Centennial Conference First Round |