Rochester, N.Y. -- The women's tennis team (9-0), seeded first in the Empire 8 Championship Tournament, posted a dominant 9-0 win over fourth-seeded Nazareth (5-6) in Saturday's semifinal round. Ithaca will face second-seeded Stevens, a 5-2 winner over third-seeded Rochester Institute of Technology in Saturday's other semifinal, Sunday at noon in the tournament final. The winner earns the Empire 8's automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs. The Bombers, four-time defending Empire 8 champions, have made three straight NCAA appearances.
The win was Ithaca's 41st in a row over an Empire 8 opponent (30 straight regular-season matches and 11 consecutive wins in postseason play) and puts the Bombers in the Empire 8 final for the 10th time in as many years as the event has been contested.
Freshman Cristina Nunez (Morris HillsRockaway, N.J.), improved to 15-2 in singles and remained unbeaten in dual matches with a straight-set win at first singles.
Junior Melanie Cohen (Hatboro-Horsham/Ambler, Pa.) was a 6-0, 6-0 winner at fourth singles, raising her season record to 8-4.
Junior Agata Kubik (C.K. Norwid Gen. LyceumCzestochowa, Poland), senior Devra Reiman (Columbia/Maplewood, N.J.), senior Sarah Hollis (Greens Farms AcademyFairfield, Conn.) and junior Melissa Nunez (Morris Hills/Rockaway, N.J.) won at second, third, fifth and sixth singles, respectively. Reiman, Hollis and Nunez were all straight-set winners. As a team Ithaca has won 54 of 57 singles matches in dual-meet play.
The Nunez sisters improved to 5-0 at first doubles, winning 8-1. Cohen and Kubik teamed for a second-doubles win and the third doubles team of Hollis and Reiman stayed unbeaten on the season, improving to 10-0 with an 8-3 victory.
Ithaca beat Stevens 7-2 in the teams' regular-season meeting and has never lost to the Ducks.
Tennis Match Results
Nazareth vs Ithaca
10/24/09 at Mendon, N.Y.
Ithaca 9, Nazareth 0
Singles competition
1. Cristina Nunez (IC) def. Jackeline Martinez (NAZ) 6-2, 6-0
2. Agata Kubik (IC) def. Alexandra Vizgaitis (NAZ) 7-5, 0-6, 10-3
3. Devra Reiman (IC) def. Elizabeth Way (NAZ) 6-2, 7-5
4. Melanie Cohen (IC) def. Abbey Goings (NAZ) 6-0, 6-0
5. Sarah Hollis (IC) def. Kelly Noble (NAZ) 6-3, 6-1
6. Melissa Nunez (IC) def. Sherrita Wilkins (NAZ) 6-1, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. Cristina Nunez/Melissa Nunez (IC) def. Jackeline Martinez/Elizabeth Way (NAZ) 8-1
2. Melanie Cohen/Agata Kubik (IC) def. Kelly Noble/Alexandra Vizgaitis (NAZ) 8-4
3. Sarah Hollis/Devra Reiman (IC) def. Christine Cary/Sherrita Wilkins (NAZ) 8-3
Team Records:
Nazareth 5-6
Ithaca 9-0
Empire 8 Tournament Semifinals