Playing host to the 2015 USTA/ITA New England Regional on Proctor Tennis Courts, the Middlebury women's tennis team had several players take part in event. The respective winners advanced to the Small College Championships at the Palmetto Tennis Center in Sumter, South Carolina from October 15-18, 2015.
In the main singles draw, a total of three Panther women in Lily Bondy, Catherine Miller and Christina Puccinelli advanced to the round of 16, including Bondy's run to the semifinals. Bondy advanced to the round of 16 with straight-set wins Friday over MIT's Sonya Das (6-4, 6-2) and Bates' Isabella Stone (6-1, 6-0). On Saturday, Bondy grinded out two three-set triumphs against Justine Huang from Wellesley (6-1, 4-6, 6-4) and Williams' Mia Gancayco (4-6, 6-4, 6-3). Bondy fell to Wesleyan's Victoria Yu by tallies of 6-4, 6-2 during Sunday morning's semifinal.
Miller was victorious in her opening-round match after her opponent from M.I.T. was forced to retire, and won her round of 32 matchup with Brandeis' Keren Kremchenko 6-0, 6-1. On Saturday morning, Miller fell to Amherst's Vickie Ip (6-2, 7-6 (4)). Puccinelli advanced to Saturday's play and the final 16 with a 6-1, 6-1 win against Trinity's Zoe Lindbloom, followed by a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Amherst's Jackie Calla. The first-year Panther bowed out of the bracket with a 6-3, 6-1 loss to Yu on Saturday.
After dropping their matches in the main draw, Molly Paradies picked up a pair of wins during consolation matches, while Lauren Amos, Sadie Shackelford and Shannon Gibbs also tallied victories.
In doubles play, Ria Gerger and Puccinelli earned an 8-6 win over Gabriela Venditti and Lydia Venditti in their first-round match followed by a 9-7 triumph against Mina Karamercan and Otilita Popa from Tufts in round two. In the quarterfinal round, Gerger and Puccinelli were beaten by Bowdoin's Pilar Giffenig and Sarah Shadowens, 8-2.
The Panther duo of Bondy and Amos won their first-round match 8-4 over Brandeis' Olivia Leavitt and Haley Cohen, but lost in round two 8-2 to Yagmur Akgul and Jenny Quenard. Miller and Shackelford posted an 8-3 opening-round triumph over Emily Olson and Huang from Wellesley before losing 8-3 to Williams' Julia Cancio and Leah Bush in round two.
The Panthers return to the court in two weeks as they play host the annual Middlebury Invitational. The three-day event will take place from Friday-Sunday, October 9-11.