Three-Setters Key Wittenberg Win Over NCAC Rival Earlham
The Wittenberg Tigers captured a deceiving 7-2 decision against visiting North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) rival Earlham on the strength of two three-set singles wins a clutch No. 1 doubles victory in a tiebreaker.
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - The Wittenberg Tigers captured a deceiving 7-2 decision against visiting North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) rival Earlham on the strength of two three-set singles wins a clutch No. 1 doubles victory in a tiebreaker.
The win moved Wittenberg to 7-5 overall and, more importantly, 2-4 in the NCAC, with a pair of conference matches remaining before the NCAC Tournament. Earlham slipped to 5-2 overall and 0-2 in the NCAC.
The key to the team victory was a 2-2 record in the hotly contested singles matches and a clutch No. 1 doubles win from freshman Jayne Miely (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) and sophomore Emily Nash (Hilliard, Ohio/Davidson). The Tiger tandem claimed a 9-8 win thanks to a 7-0 tiebreaker decision.
Nash added a straight set win at No. 5 singles, while sophomore Sean Delaney (Powell, Ohio/Worthington Christian) contributed a straight sets win at No. 6 singles. Delaney teamed with sophomore Rachel Bundy (North Canton, Ohio/Hoover) to get a win at No. 2 doubles, while the team of junior Allison Earhart (Yorktown, Ind./Yorktown) and freshman Elizabeth Micheletti (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West) were victors at No. 3 doubles.
That set the stage for some singles drama, as Earhart and Micheletti both pulled out three-set singles wins. Micheletti won the deciding match, pulling out the No. 4 singles court by a 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 score.