Box Score SWARTHMORE, Pa. - The Ursinus College Women's Tennis team put forth one of their best efforts of the season Tuesday, but ultimately dropped a heartbreaking 5-4 decision at 13th-ranked Swarthmore.
The Bears (8-5, 0-4 CC) got on the board in the doubles segment of the match when the third doubles team of senior Christina Cromwell and junior BreAnna Bashaw pulled out an 8-5 win. Swarthmore was able to win at first and second flight doubles however, and the Garnet took a 2-1 lead into singles play.
"Bre and Christina played really well, and they kept us in the match at that point," head coach Pete Smith said. "If they had lost, a 3-0 deficit would have been too much to even consider coming back. Down 2-1, we still had some options."
Singles play started with all six matches being closely contested. But before any of them could be completed, rain forced the match inside to the Mullan Tennis Center, Swarthmore's indoor tennis facility. At the time the rain started, Ursinus had leads in four of the six matches.
"There was definitely a path to victory out there," Smith remarked. "It was a razor thin scenario, but it was there."
Once inside, Swarthmore won the first singles flight to take a 3-1 lead in the match. Bashaw answered that quickly with a 6-1, 6-1 win at the third flight, bringing Ursinus to within 3-2.
Next up was a battle at second singles, as senior Audrey Whitebloom and Swarthmore's Anna Scheibmeir faced off in a super tie breaker after splitting the first two sets. In a wild and emotional back and forth affair, Scheibmeir escaped with an 11-9 win, and Swarthmore had a 4-2 lead.
Soon after, Cromwell found herself trailing Swarthmore's Ashley Gao at fourth singles by a set and 5-4 in the second set. With Aileen Bevard (fifth singles) and Ariel Danziger (sixth singles) holding strong leads in their matches, all eyes turned to the fourth singles tilt.
Only four points from defeat, Cromwell rallied to force a second set tie breaker at 6-all. In that tiebreaker, she again came from behind, turning a 3-5 deficit into a stirring 7-5 come from behind win. In the third set super tie breaker, Gao was too strong as she pulled away for the 10-4 win, giving Swarthmore the insurmountable 5-2 lead.
Both Bevard and Danziger closed their matches strong, pulling out wins to make the final score 5-4.
"It was a very tough loss, to be sure," Smith remarked. "But I am really proud of these girls. The loss bothered them - and I like that. They want to compete. We have a lot of season left, and we will learn from this and get better."
Ursinus heads to Dickinson on Friday for a 3:30 match.
