Courtesy Williams Sports Information

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. - Third-seeded Middlebury (10-8) used solid singles play to advance past sixth-seeded Trinity in the first round of the 2009 NESCAC Women's Tennis Championship. Beginning with singles play, instead of the traditional doubles, the Panthers took five of the six singles matches in straight sets. Middlebury had  defeated Trinity earlier in the season, 8-1.

Anne Burke began things on a positive note, cruising at court five in a 6-0, 6-0 result over Jillian Steckloff. Chandra Kurien and Liz Stone continued the Middlebury dominance with 6-1, 6-0 and 6-1, 6-1 wins at courts two and three, respectively.

Jamie Haar defeated Olivia Merns at court six, 6-1, 6-3, while Tori Aiello took the decisive fifth point at court one. Aiello managed to take a break in the first set before finishing off her opponent in an easy second set. Trinity’s Robin Williams took one match at court four, defeating Claire Burke, 7-5, 6-1.

Middlebury will take on second-seeded Williams tomorrow at 1:00 p.m.

No. 3 Middlebury 5, vs. No. 6 Trinity 1 

Doubles
1 - Chandra Kurien/Liz Stone (Middlebury) vs. Sarah Gould/Amanda Tremont (Trinity) - DNP
2 - Anne Burke/Claire Burke (Middlebury) vs. Robin Williams/Olivia Merns (Trinity) - DNP
3 - Jamie Haar (Middlebury) vs. Arielle Leben/Jillian Steckloff (Trinity) - DNP

Singles
1 - Tori Aiello (Middlebury) def. Amanda Tremont (Trinity) - 7-5, 6-1
2 - Chandra Kurien (Middlebury) def. Arielle Leben (Trinity) - 6-1, 6-0
3 - Liz Stone (Middlebury) def. Sarah Gould (Trinity) - 6-1, 6-1
4 - Robin Williams (Trinity) def. Claire Burke (Middlebury) - 7-5, 6-1
5 - Anne Burke (Middlebury) def. Jillian Steckloff (Trinity) - 6-0, 6-0
6 - Jamie harr (Middlebury) def. Olivia Merns (Trinity) - 6-1, 6-3