SPRINGFIELD, Mass., October 7, 2006 – Kaitlynn Cates and Jessica Sousa won their singles matches for Springfield College, but in the end it was Babson College winning four of the six singles matches to come back and defeat the Pride, 5-4, in a New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) match this afternoon at SC’s Appleton Courts.

With the win, Babson improves to 4-6 overall and 2-4 in the NEWMAC, while it clinches a berth into the NEWMAC Tournament. Springfield, meanwhile, falls to 1-5 overall and 0-5 in the conference.

The match began fairly well for Springfield, although it could have been better. SC took two of the three doubles matches, winning at No. 2 and No. 3. A big turnaround, however, came at No. 1, as the Babson duo of sophomores Courtney Farrell and Heather Walsh came back from down 6-3 to win 8-6. That would turn into a very important team point later on.

Babson then won three matches, at No. 1, No. 3, and No. 6, fairly quickly, while Springfield won at No. 2 just as quickly. The SC winner was freshman Kaitlynn Cates (Middlebury, Conn.). She won her match, 6-0, 6-0. Babson winners included Farrell at No. 1, Walsh at No. 3, and junior Jamie Burke at No. 6.

That left it up to No. 4 and 5 singles, both of which went to the third set. Babson was able to clinch it at No. 4 as freshman Andrea Nagy defeated junior Shannon Desroches (Belchertown, Mass.); 6-2, 2-6, 6-4. Not long thereafter, SC junior Jessica Sousa (Falmouth, Mass.) won her match over Beavers’ freshman Liz Sheerin; 6-7(6), 6-4, 6-2.

Up next, the Pride will host Trinity College on Thursday, October 12th at 4:00 p.m. On the same day and time, Babson will travel to Bates College.

Babson def. Springfield, 5-4:

Singles:
Courtney Farrell (B) def. Meghan Kelly (SC) 6-4, 6-1
Kaitlynn Cates (SC) def. Kali Hogan (B), 6-0, 6-0
Heather Walsh (B) def. Melissa Weinstein (SC), 6-3, 6-2
Andrea Nagy (B) def. Shannon Desroches (SC), 6-2, 2-6, 6-4
Jessica Sousa (SC) def. Liz Sheerin (B), 6-7 (6), 6-4, 6-2
Jamie Burke (B) def. Jenny Cameron (SC), 6-0, 6-2

Doubles:
Farrell/Walsh (B) def. Kelly/Weinstein (SC), 8-6
Cates/Sousa (SC) def. Hogan/Nagy (B), 8-6
Desroches/Cameron (SC) def. Sheerin/Burke (B), 8-4

Records:
Babson 4-6, 2-4 NEWMAC
Springfield 1-5, 0-5 NEWMAC

published: 10/07/2006