May 2, 2009
WC Downs Mules, 5-3, in Centennial Semis
Record 17th Win Advances Shorewomen to Championship Match

BALTIMORE, MD -- Freshman Gabie Batista (Sykesville, MD/Century) won at No. 6 singles to seal a 5-3 victory for the Washington College women's tennis team against Muhlenberg in a Centennial Conference semifinal match today at Perring Athletic Club in Baltimore, MD. The match, played between the ninth-ranked team in the Atlantic South region (Washington) and 10th-ranked team in the region (Muhlenberg) lasted nearly four hours. The Shorewomen (17-4) broke their school record for wins in a season with the victory.

Washington held a 2-1 lead after doubles play. Freshmen Brittany Marshall (Dagsboro, DE/Worcester Prep, MD) and Jordan Finnegan (Wilmington, DE/Archmere Academy), ranked ninth in the region in doubles, beat Jenn Powell and Carly Rotfeld, the region's 18th-ranked doubles team, 8-4, at No. 1, while sophomore Mary Kelley (Frederick, MD/Glenelg Country School) and senior Kate Barston (Darien, CT/Darien) defeated Lindsay Schmidt and Danielle Watson, 8-3, at No. 3. The Mules (10-5) won at No. 2 as Caitie Druker and Sara Sutker bested freshman Gabie Batista (Sykesville, MD/Century) and junior Carrie Palmer (Dallas, TX/Greenhill School), 8-3.

Muhlenberg pulled in front by a 3-2 margin by winning the first two singles matches to finish. Rotfeld blanked Barston, 6-0, 6-0, at No. 3, while Sutker topped Palmer, 6-1, 6-2, at No. 4. The Shorewomen tied the scored when Marshall completed a 6-4, 6-2, victory over Druker at No. 2 and went ahead, 4-3, when Kelley completed a 6-4, 6-2, win against Schmidt at No. 5. Batista then gave the Shorewomen the win when she completed her 6-0, 7-5, win over Madeleine Goldfarb at No. 6.

No. 1 singles went unfinished. Finnegan, ranked 18th in the region in singles, was playing Powell, ranked 19th in the region. Finnegan won the first set, 6-2. Powell came back to win the second set, 6-3, and was leading the third set, 5-4, when the match ended.

The Shorewomen's 17th win broke the school record of 16 set in 1991 and matched in 2006.

Washington will play host Johns Hopkins, ranked 10th in the nation and fourth in the region, in the Centennial Conference Championship match tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. In case of inclement weather, the match will be played indoors at Perring Athletic Club.

MATCH RESULTS