April 23, 2009
Shorewomen Collar Mules, 6-3
Win Clinches Centennial Conference Playoff Berth

ALLENTOWN, PA -- The Washington College women's tennis team clinched a berth in the upcoming four-team Centennial Conference Tournament with a 6-3 win over host Muhlenberg this afternoon in Allentown, PA. The Shorewomen, who are ranked 11th in the Atlantic South region, improved to 15-4 overall and 7-2 in conference play with the win, while the Mules, ranked eighth in the region, fell to 8-4 and 6-2 with the loss.

The Shorewomen won two out of the three doubles matches to take a 2-1 lead in the match. Washington freshmen Brittany Marshall (Dagsboro, DE/Worcester Prep, MD) and Jordan Finnegan (Wilmington, DE/Archmere Academy) downed Jen Powell and Carly Rotfeld, 8-6, at No. 1 in the last doubles match to finish. Muhlenberg's Caitie Druker and Sara Sutker beat freshman Gabie Batista (Sykesville, MD/Century) and junior Carrie Palmer (Dallas, TX/Greenhill School), 8-2, at No. 2, but Washington won at No. 3 as sophomore Mary Kelley (Frederick, MD/Glenelg Country School) and senior Kate Barston (Darien, CT/Darien) trumped Lindsay Schmidt and Madeleine Goldfarb, 8-2.

The Shorewomen at the top two and bottom two spots in singles. Finnegan knocked off Powell, the region's 16th-ranked singles player, 6-3, 6-3, at No. 1, while Marshall defeated Druker, 6-3, 6-2, at No. 2. Kelley outlasted Schmidt, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, at No. 5, while Batista rallied for a 5-7, 6-1, 6-1, win against Goldfarb at No. 6. Rotfeld downed Barston, 6-2, 6-0, at No. 3 and Sutker defeated Palmer, 6-1, 6-2, at No. 4 for the Mules' two wins in singles.

Johns Hopkins will be the top seed and host of the Centennial Conference Tournament. Both Muhlenberg and Haverford join the Shorewomen in rounding out the tournament. Washington can clinch the second seed with a win over Dickinson Saturday in the Shorewomen's regular-season finale or with a loss by Haverford to Johns Hopkins Saturday and a loss by Muhlenberg in either of the Mules' final two matches.

The Shorewomen return to action Saturday with their regular season finale, a 1:00 p.m. Centennial Conference match at Dickinson.

MATCH RESULTS