Ithaca Wins E8 Women's Tennis Championship

10/19/2014 5:34:00 PM

EDGEWATER, N.J. – The Ithaca College women's tennis team rallied from a deficit after doubles matches and went on to a 5-3 victory over Stevens Institute of Technology to win the 2014 Empire 8 Women's Tennis Championship. It is Ithaca's 10th consecutive Empire 8 title and earned automatic qualification into the 2015 NCAA Division III Women's Tennis Championships.

The dual-match was tied 3-3 with three singles matches still on court. Carly Siegel put Ithaca in front with a 6-4, 6-3 win at second singles. The fifth and sixth singles matches were each decided in three sets. Ithaca's Kelly Fishback (fifth singles) and Maddie Overholt (sixth singles) both dropped the first sets of their matches, but Overholt came back to win the second set 6-1 and then closed out the dual victory with a third-set score of 6-2. Fishback dropped the first set in a tiebreak and won the second set 6-4. That match was unfinished as Ithaca had attained enough points for the dual victory with Overholt's win.

Ithaca headed into the singles matches trailing 2-1, but posted quick victories at third and fourth singles to take the lead. Allison Vizgaitis won 6-1, 6-2 at third singles and Alyssa Steinweis won 6-1, 6-1 at fourth singles. Stevens won the first singles match to tie the team score at 3-3.

In doubles play, Ithaca earned its point with a win at third doubles by Kelly Fishback and Alyssa Steinweis. They were 8-6 winners at that position. Ithaca's first doubles team of Haley Kusak and Carly Siegel fell 8-6 and Allison Vizgaitis and Maddie Overholt dropped the second doubles match 8-3.

Steinweis was named Most Outstanding Player of the championship with two victories in Sunday's championship and two victories in Ithaca's semifinal win over Elmira. Steinweis is 12-2 in singles matches and 12-3 in doubles play this season.



Ithaca 5, Stevens 3
10/19/14 at Edgewater, N.J.
(Binghamton Racquet Club)

 Singles competition
1. Jessica Bourque (SIT) def. Haley Kusak (IC) 6-2, 6-4
2. Carly Siegel (IC) def. Danielle Stewart (SIT) 6-4, 6-3
3. Allison Vizgaitis (IC) def. Julia Guignard (SIT) 6-1, 6-2
4. Alyssa Steinweis (IC) def. Katrina Guido (SIT) 6-1, 6-1
5. Alexis Connor (SIT) vs. Kelly Fishback (IC) 7-6, 4-6, unfinished
6. Maddie Overholt (IC) def. Allie Masciana (SIT) 5-7, 6-1, 6-2

 Doubles competition
1. Jessica Bourque/Alexis Connor (SIT) def. Haley Kusak/Carly Siegel (IC) 8-6
2. Katrina Guido/Danielle Stewart (SIT) def. Allison Vizgaitis/Maddie Overholt (IC) 8-3
3. Alyssa Steinweis/Kelly Fishback (IC) def. Julia Guignard/Allie Masciana (SIT) 8-6

Team Records:
Ithaca College 10-1
Stevens 11-1

Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (4,3,1,2,6)

Empire 8 Conference Championship Final