NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The No. 15 Tufts University women's tennis team delivered a dominant performance on Saturday, defeating No. 25 Christopher Newport University 6-1 at the Natalie Pitts Memorial Invitational on the Eyre Courts.
The Jumbos improved to 6-1 on the season with the win, using a strong showing in both doubles and singles play to control the match from the outset.
Tufts claimed the doubles point by winning two of the three matches. The No. 3 duo of Kyra McCandless and Alyssa Khou set the tone with a commanding 6-0 victory, finishing first to give the Jumbos early momentum. Claudia Grove and Melanie Woodbury followed at No. 2 doubles with a 6-2 win to secure the point for Tufts. Christopher Newport's lone doubles win came at the top position.
In singles play, the Jumbos quickly took control. Nadia Khera was first off the court with a 6-3, 6-1 victory at No. 3 singles, extending the Tufts lead to 2-0. Khera is now 4-1 on the season.
Moments later, Ellie Gershaw delivered one of the most decisive performances of the day, posting a 6-0, 6-0 shutout at No. 4 singles to make it 3-0. Gershaw has not lost this spring, going 2-0 in dual matches since reentering the lineup yesterday.
Christopher Newport picked up its only point of the match at No. 2 singles in a tightly contested three-set battle, but Tufts responded immediately as Claudia Grove earned a 7-5, 6-2 win at No. 6 singles to clinch the match with the fourth point.
With the match secured, the Jumbos continued to add to their lead. Kyra McCandless cruised to a 6-1, 6-0 victory at No. 5 singles, and Lucy Mitchell capped the day with a 6-3, 6-2 win at the top spot to close out the 6-1 final. Both McCandless and Mitchell won their fourth straight match, while both are undefeated this spring with unblemished 4-0 marks.
Tufts will wrap up play at the Natalie Pitts Memorial Invitational on Sunday morning, taking on No. 35 Haverford College at 9 a.m. to conclude its spring break trip.
--JUMBOS--
