Simmons University

BRIGHTON, Mass. – The Simmons University women's tennis team hosted its third home match of the week on Friday afternoon, battling Gordon College in a marathon contest that came down to the final court. After nearly three hours of competition, the Sharks emerged with a hard-fought 4-3 victory over the Fighting Scots.

How It Happened

• The match was tightly contested from the opening serve. Gordon claimed the doubles point with wins at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles, but the Sharks earned a dramatic victory at the top spot as the veteran tandem of Masha Shutts and Emilie Lapointe outlasted their counterparts in a thrilling 7-6 (2) tiebreak decision.
• Needing four singles victories to secure the match, Simmons responded with strong performances across the lineup. Shutts quickly evened the score with a 6-0, 6-4 win at No. 1 singles, while Lapointe followed with a 6-4, 6-1 triumph at No. 2 to give the Sharks their first lead of the afternoon. First-year Victoria McCrann also earned a singles point for the Sharks with a 6-4, 6-1 victory at No. 6 singles.
• After Gordon picked up victories at No. 4 and No. 5 singles to knot the match at 3-3, all attention shifted to Court No. 3, where sophomore Amoli Vad was locked in a three-set battle Gordon's No. 3. Vad captured a tightly contested opening set in a tiebreak, 7-6 (5), before Otey responded with a 6-0 second-set victory. With the team result hanging in the balance, Vad regrouped and delivered in the decisive third set, securing a 6-2 win to clinch both the match and the 4-3 victory for Simmons.