Fifth-seeded Gettysburg survived several match points to outlast fourth-seeded Franklin & Marshall 5-4 in the opening round of the Centennial Conference women's tennis championship on Tuesday at the Brooks Tennis Center in Lancaster, Pa. The win was the first-ever postseason victory for Gettysburg.
Gettysburg's Amanda Vinges stared down match-point twice in the third set and came out with a victory in a tiebreaker to cap an incredible comeback for the Bullets. Twice Vinges faced match-point at 5-4 and 6-5, and twice she broke F&M's Gavriel Rubenstein's serve to force another tiebreaker. After surrendering the opening point, Vinges ran off the next five points to assume control and closed with a 7-6 (7-2) win.
Gettysburg became just the second No. 5 seed to win a match in the CC Championship and it was just the second 5-4 decision in playoff history. Johns Hopkins defeated Swarthmore 5-4 in the 2007 finals. With 12 wins on the year, the Bullets have logged their best win total in 21 years.
Waiting in the semifinals is 12-time conference champion and 14th-ranked Johns Hopkins. The Blue Jays will host the Bullets Saturday at 11 a.m.
Gettysburg 5, Franklin and Marshall 4
1. Allison Wolters (FMCW) def. Maria Martinovic (GC) 6-0, 6-1
2. Amanda Vinges (GC) def. Gavriel Rubenstein (FMCW) 7-6 (7-2), 1-6, 7-6 (7-2)
3. Samantha Boardman (GC) def. Emma Wu (FMCW) 6-2, 2-6, 7-5
4. Maddie Class (GC) def. Lauren Wang (FMCW) 6-3, 7-5
5. Ava Vanhelfteren (GC) def. Alex D'Angelo (FMCW) 6-3, 6-3
6. Marissa Witmer (FMCW) def. Alexis Rinker (GC) 6-3, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. Gavriel Rubenstein/Allison Wolters (FMCW) def. Samantha Boardman/Amanda Vinges (GC) 8-5
2. Maria Martinovic/Maddie Class (GC) def. Emma Wu/Lauren Wang (FMCW) 8-6
3. Caroline Ulrich/Marissa Witmer (FMCW) def. Ava Vanhelfteren/Shaye Barnes (GC) 8-5
Centennial Conference Women's Tennis Championship Schedule
Tuesday, Apr. 30 at #4 Franklin & Marshall | Lancaster, Pa.
1st Round - #5 Gettysburg 5, #4 Franklin & Marshall 4
Saturday, May 4 at #1 Johns Hopkins | Baltimore, Md.
Semifinal 1 - #5 Gettysburg at #1 Johns Hopkins, 11 a.m.
Saturday, May 4 at #2 Swarthmore | Swarthmore, Pa.
Semifinal 2 - #3 Haverford vs. #2 Swarthmore, 11 a.m.
Sunday, May 5 at #1 Johns Hopkins | Baltimore, Md.
Championship - Semifinal Winners