CHESTERTOWN, Md. – Playing a rematch of last year's Centennial Conference Tournament opening round, the Franklin & Marshall women's tennis team exacted some revenge at Washington College with a strong 8-1 showing. The Diplomats were leading after doubles and then swept through the singles competition to record the team's fourth straight conference win.
Both of F&M's doubles teams that were victorious remained undefeated in Centennial Conference play. The Rebecca Bellick/Amelia Squires pairing moved to a perfect 4-0 in Centennial Conference action following their 8-5 victory. The No. 2 pairing of Jenna Harrison/Clara March Okuyama won its third CC match of the year by that same 8-5 final. The Shorewomen's only win of the afternoon came by a tight 8-6 score at the top of the doubles lineup.
Franklin & Marshall picked up its third team point with Jenna Harrison leading 5-2 at No. 2 singles before her opponent was forced to retire with an injury. The Diplomats won four more singles matches in straight sets. Cassidy Landau (No. 1) and Hayley Bidwell (No. 6) dropped just four games each during their respective matches. Landau is now 4-1 in conference singles play, while Bidwell's win was her third straight overall. Rebecca Bellick (No. 4) and Clara March Okuyama (No. 5) also registered straight-set wins. Okuyama moved to a perfect 3-0 in CC singles following her win. Mackenzie Sherman also stayed perfect in Centennial Conference singles action (4-0 CC) with her back-and-forth three-set win at No. 4.
Women's tennis will be back on the road this coming Tuesday for a 4 p.m. first serve at Dickinson. The Diplomats return home next Saturday for a 12 p.m. start against Haverford before wrapping up the regular season during the following week.
Franklin & Marshall 8, Washington College 1
Doubles
1: Maria Cristina Diaz-Nazario (WAC) def. Cassidy Landau/Mackenzie Sherman (F&M); 8-6
2: Jenna Harrison/Clara March Okuyama (F&M) def. Soleil Namunyola/Piper Sartison (WAC); 8-5
3: Rebbeca Bellick/Amelia Squires (F&M) def. Kathryn Ruppert/Isabella Sorhegui (WAC); 8-5
Singles
1: Cassidy Landau (F&M) def. Soleil Namunyola (WAC); 6-4, 6-0
2: Jenna Harrison (F&M) def. Maria Cristina Diaz Nazario (WAC); 5-2, ret.
3: Mackenzie Sherman (F&M) def. Eva Kading (WAC); 6-1, 0-6, 6-4
4: Rebecca Bellick (F&M) def. Piper Sartison (WAC); 6-3, 7-5
5: Clara March Okuyama (F&M) def. Kathryn Ruppert (WAC); 6-3, 6-2
6: Hayley Bidwell (F&M) def. Isabella Sorhequi (WAC); 6-2, 6-2
