CHESTERTOWN, Md. – Junior Ava Vanhelfteren (Fort Wayne, Ind./Canterbury) closed out a third-set tiebreaker to cap a come-from-behind 5-4 victory for the Gettysburg College women's tennis team at Washington College Saturday afternoon.
 
Gettysburg (8-4, 3-1 CC) recorded just its second victory over Washington (5-4, 3-1 CC) in the last 17 seasons and it needed a big rally to do it. Despite an 8-3 victory by junior Samantha Boardman (Greenwich, Conn./Brooks School) and sophomore Amanda Vinges (Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge) at No. 1 doubles, the Bullets fell behind 2-1 as the Shorewomen claimed 8-6 and 8-0 wins in the remaining doubles bouts.
 
Washington jumped in front 4-1 with wins at fourth and second singles. The rally started with Boardman, who improved to 7-1 this season with a 6-4, 6-2 decision at No. 3. Senior Maria Martinovic (Lawrence Township, N.J./Princeton Day School) picked up a 6-4, 6-2 win over Alisha White at the top singles flight, leaving the team decision up to the outcomes at No. 5 and No. 6.
 
Freshman Alexis Rinker (Prince Frederick, Md./Calvert) grinded out a pair of close decisions at the sixth flight, pulling out a 7-3 tiebreaker to win set one and closing out the straight-set win 7-5. Vanhelfteren opened with a 6-3 win over Riley Katzman, but Katzman rallied for a 6-4 decision in the second set. Coming into the match 0-2 in third-set tiebreakers in her career, Vanhelfteren changed that statistic by holding on for a 6-3 win to close out the team victory.
 
Gettysburg hosts Muhlenberg College next Saturday at 1 p.m.
 
Gettysburg 5, Washington College 4
4/6/2019 at Chestertown, Md. (Schottland Tennis Center)
Singles competition
1. Maria Martinovic (GC) def. Alisha White (WC) 6-4, 6-2
2. Ella Samer (WC) def. Amanda Vinges (GC) 6-4, 6-2
3. Samantha Boardman (GC) def. Cecilia Cress (WC) 6-4, 6-2
4. Sarah Bruno (WC) def. Maddie Class (GC) 6-2, 6-1
5. Ava Vanhelfteren (GC) def. Riley Katzman (WC) 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
6. Alexis Rinker (GC) def. Mariah Thomas (WC) 7-6 (7-3), 7-5
 
Doubles competition
1. Samantha Boardman/Amanda Vinges (GC) def. Ella Samer/Alisha White (WC) 8-3
2. Cecilia Cress/Riley Katzman (WC) def. Maria Martinovic/Maddie Class (GC) 8-6
3. Mariah Thomas/Sarah Bruno (WC) def. Shaye Barnes/Ava Vanhelfteren (GC) 8-0
 
Match Notes
Gettysburg 8-4, 3-1 CC
Washington College 5-4, 3-1 CC
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (4,2,3,1,6,5)
T-4:45 A-55