Women's tennis wins spring opener in Florida, 5-4
February 18, 2009

Morse-Karzen

Blauth

Anderson

Benisch
TAMPA, Fla. -- The Bates College women's tennis team opened the spring season on Wednesday with a 5-4 victory over Hillsborough Community College, the defending National Junior College Athletic Association national champions.

The match was clinched with first-year Meg Anderson's (Cohasset, Mass.) 6-0, 6-3 victory over Paige Plainkas at No. 4 singles.

Also winning for the Bobcats were the No. 2 doubles team of first-year Brooke Morse-Karzen (Wilmette, Ill.) and first-year Erika Blauth (Camden, Maine) taking an 8-2 decision over Brittney Boudin and Palinkas. Bates senior captain Caryn Benisch (Huntington, N.Y.), lost a close, high-quality match at No. 1 singles to Courtney Spafford, 6-4, 7-6(6).

Bates (1-1) next plays at MIT on Feb. 28 at 1 p.m.

Bates 5, Hillsborough 4
Doubles
1. Spafford/Bassi def. Benisch/Anderson 8-2
2. Morse-Karzen/Blauth def. Bouden/Palinkas 8-2
3. Piacquad/Gulliver win by default

Singles
1. Courtney Spafford def. Benisch 6-4, 7-6(6).
2. Lauri Bassi def. Morse-Karzen 6-1, 6-2
3. Brittney Boudin def. Piacquad 6-4, 7-6(6)
4. Anderson def. Paige Palinkas 6-0,6-3.
5. Blauth won by default
6. Gulliver won by default.