Women's Tennis | 2/27/2016 4:32:00 PM

CANTON, N.Y. — The Ithaca College women's tennis team suffered its first loss of the season Saturday, falling to St. Lawrence University 8-1

Ithaca (11-1), which won the school's 11th straight Empire 8 championship in the fall, earned a win at first singles but suffered tough losses in every other flight in dropping its first match since a 5-0 setback to Bowdoin in the second round of the 2015 NCAA tournament.  

Junior Haley Kusak, the Empire 8 Player of the Year, earned the only point for Ithaca at first singles. In a marathon match, she won the first set by a 7-6 (7-4), dropped the second set by a 7-6 (7-3) score, then secured the win with a 10-8 triumph in the third set.

With the win, Kusak improved to 11-0 at first singles.

Freshman Shayna Ginster fought hard before falling at third singles, winning the first set 6-4 before dropping the next two, 7-6 (7-5) and 10-6.

In doubles action, freshmen Caroline Dunn and Kathryn Shaffer fell 8-6 in the second flight, while senior Marni Blumenthal and junior Maddie Overholt fell 8-5 in the third flight.

Ithaca travels to William Smith in Geneva, N.Y. for a 10 a.m. match on Sunday, March 6.

Results vs. St. Lawrence
Doubles –
1. Morgan McNeal and Georgia Comber (SLU) def. Haley Kusak and Shayna Ginster (ITH) 8-3
2. Emily Wyman and Alexandra Dadoly (SLU) def. Caroline Dunn and Kathryn Shaffer (ITH) 8-6
3. Hallie Young and Laramie McHugh (SLU) def. Marni Blumenthal and Maddie Overholt (ITH) 8-5
 
Singles –
1. Haley Kusak (ITH) def. Emily Wyman (SLU) 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-3), 10-8
2. Morgan McNeal (SLU) def. Caroline Dunn (ITH) 6-4, 6-0
3. Alexandra Dadoly (SLU) def. Shayna Ginster (ITH) 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 10-6
4. Hallie Young (SLU) def. Marni Blumenthal (ITH) 6-1, 6-3
5. Georgia Comber (SLU) def. Kathryn Shaffer (ITH) 6-2, 6-4
6. Lia Petersen (SLU) def. Jodi Grosberg (ITH) 6-4, 6-4