Lai Helps #9 Tartans Take Down #5 Bowdoin, 7-2

(CLAREMONT, Calif.) - The Carnegie Mellon University women's tennis team picked up another top 10 victory on Monday when it defeated fifth-ranked Bowdoin College, 7-2. The ninth-ranked Tartans are now 12-2 for the year after the victory in Claremont, California.

A 2-1 score after doubles favored the Tartans when the fifth-ranked pair of sophomore Vinaya Rao (Vernon Hills, Ill. / Adlai E. Stevenson) and freshman Melissa Strome (West Bloomfield, Mich. / West Bloomfield) won 8-6 at the second position and senior Katie Lai (Hagatna, Guam / St. Andrew's Episcopal School) and junior Jamie Vizelman (Highland Heights, Ohio / Mayfield) fought for a 9-8 (7-3) win at the third position.

The excitement of the third doubles match boiled over to singles play as the Tartans took victories at fifth, third, and fourth singles to seal the match win. Strome started with a 6-1, 6-1 win at fifth singles before Rao defeated her opponent at third singles, 6-3, 6-0. Lai earned match point with a  6-3, 6-2 win at fourth singles.

Also winning their singles matches were senior Cori Sidell (Redwood Shores, Calif. / Carlmont) at first singles and Vizelman at second singles.

The Tartans break for a day before finishing the week with a 1:00 p.m. PT match time on Wednesday against 14th-ranked Amherst College. Last year, the Tartans topped the Ephs for the first time in school history, winning by a 6-3 score.