BRIDGEWATER, Va. - Bridgewater College overcame a 2-1 deficit at the conclusion of doubles play Wednesday to defeat Roanoke College in the quarterfinals of the ODAC women's tennis tournament.
The Eagles, now 10-6 this season, advance to the ODAC semifinals this Saturday at Randolph-Macon College.
Bridgewater, the No. 4 seed in the tournament, got on the scoreboard first when Whitney Kiser and Nicole Shifflett rolled to a quick victory at No. 1 doubles. The Eagles duo jumped out to a 5-0 lead and defeated Emily Henderson and Janny Alvarado 8-2.
The other two matches were tightly contested with the Maroons coming out on top on both.
At No. 2 doubles, Roanoke's Cat Lee and Maddie Herring held off Jamiah Lewis and Shannon Quinn 8-5 for the the Maroons' first point.
Bridgewater's Whitney Cash and Stephanie Barton rallied from a 4-7 hole to force a tiebreaker at No. 3 doubles, but Roanoke's Carolyn Kitsock and Emma Barker prevailed, 9-8, winning the tiebreaker 7-3.
Bridgewater's Shifflett was first off the court in singles play with a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Barker at the No. 3 slot to even the team score at 2-2.
Kiser gave the Eagles the lead, 3-2, when she defeated Lee at No. 2 singles by scores of 6-4, 6-1.
Cash defeated Alvarado at the No. 5 slot 6-3, 6-3, but the Maroons stayed alive when Lydia Dey downed Quinn 6-1, 6-2 to take the victory at No. 6 singles.
Barton and Herring split sets at No. 4 singles, but the duo waited to start the third set, pending the result of a close match at No. 1 singles between Bridgewater's Lewis and Roanoke's Henderson.
Henderson jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first set, but Lewis rallied to win the set 7-5. The second set was just as tight, but Lewis once again came out on top 6-4 to close out the team victory for the Eagles.
