NEW YORK - The Columbia women's tennis team improved to 2-1 today with a huge 6-1 win over Fairleigh Dickinson in the Dick Savitt Tennis Center, Saturday, February 6. The Lions won the doubles point and five of the six singles matches to down the Knights in the third match of the year.
In doubles, junior Natalia Christenson and first-year Diana Shapoval had an easy win in the No. 3 spot, as they beat Ksenia Chernyshova and Jinny DeCarlos, 8-2. First-year Chelsea Davis and partner Natasha Makarova also had a win for Columbia in doubles, beating FDU's No. 2 pair 8-6. Fairleigh Dickinson was able to notch a win in the No. 1 spot, as Nicole Bartnik and Carling Donovan fell in a touch match, 8-6. But it wasn't enough for FDU to get on the board, as the Lions took the doubles point, going up 1-0.
Singles saw junior Makarova take the first win of the day, as she beat the Knights' Elmie Botes, 6-2, 6-0. It would be the only two-set win of the day, however, as all five other matches went to three sets. After winning in the first set, Bartnik dropped the second set at No. 1, but was able to rally in the third and win, 6-4, 4-6, 6-0. Davis had a win in the No. 3 spot, downing Julia Prantl 3-6, 7-5, 10-8, while Donovan also rallied back from a first-set loss at No. 4, to win 5-7, 6-1, 6-3. First-year Shapoval had the fifth singles win of the day in the No. 5 spot, as she beat Cheryshova 6-7, 6-2, 6-1. Caroline Constable had the lone loss of the day for the Lions, despite the sophomore's best attempt at a comeback. Despite falling in the first set 6-1, Constable battled back to take the second set 6-4, before conceding in the third, 6-4.
With the win, the Lions now stand at 2-1 on the season. Up next for Columbia is a shot at the ECAC Team Championship title. The women's tennis team will travel to Cambridge, Mass., February 12-14 to take part in the event.
Columbia 6, Fairleigh Dickinson 1
Doubles
1. Botes/Korshunova (FDU) def. Bartnik/Donovan (CU), 8-6
2. Davis/Makarova (CU) def. Prantl/Morina (FDU), 8-6
3. Natalia Christenson/Shapoval (CU) def. Chernyshova/DeCarlos (FDU), 8-2
Singles
1. Nicole Bartnik (CU) def. Julija Korshunova (FDU), 6-4, 4-6, 6-0
2. Natasha Makarova (CU) def. Elmine Botes (FDU) 6-2, 6-0
3. Chelsea Davis (CU) def. Julia Prantl (FDU), 3-6, 7-5, 10-8
4. Carling Donovan (CU) def. Egzona Morina (FDU), 5-7, 6-1, 6-3
5. Diana Shapoval (CU) def. Ksenia Chernyshova (FDU), 6-7, 6-2, 6-1
6. Jinny DeCarlos (FDU) def. Caroline Constable (CU), 6-1, 4-6, 6-4
