Box Score (PDF)
 
ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College women's tennis team made its long-awaited home debut on Sunday afternoon when it faced Union College inside Glazer Arena at Ithaca College's Athletics & Events Center. The Bombers scored a crucial victory in Liberty League competition, besting the Dutchwomen in comeback fashion with a 6-3 win that evens the team's record at 1-1 in League play. The win was also IC's first Liberty League victory as an affiliate program.
 
Sunday's match figured to be a hard-fought battle between two teams that were looking to avoid an 0-2 start to the league slate. The match lived up to its promise with several close contests throughout the day. Ultimately, it was IC had just enough to withstand the Dutchwomen's best shot, as Ithaca won five-of-six singles matchups to overcome a 2-1 deficit in the team score coming out of doubles action that began the day.
 
Doubles
1. Natalia Pezzuco/Paige Webster (UNION) def. Kathryn Shaffer/Caroline Dunn (ITHACA) | 8-4
2. Brianna Ruback/Taylor Ginestro (ITHACA) def. Megan Brown/Julianne Loree (UNION) | 8-3
3. Alex Greenberg/Alissa Sangiuolo (UNION) def. Sara Steinberg/Parley Hannan (ITHACA) | 8-4
Singles
1. Brianna Ruback (ITHACA) def. Natalia Pezzuco (UNION) | 6-1, 6-0
2. Kathryn Shaffer (ITHACA) def. Megan Brown (UNION) | 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (7-4)
3. Caroline Dunn (ITHACA) def. Julianne Loree (UNION) | 6-1, 6-4
4. Taylor Ginestro (ITHACA) def. Alissa Sangiuolo (UNION) | 3-6, 6-4, 6-2
5. Paige Webster (UNION) def. Sara Steinberg (ITHACA) | 6-1, 6-4
6. Parley Hannan (ITHACA) def. Alex Greenberg (UNION) | 8-6
*Sixth singles played as pro set with match already decided
 
Deficits coming out of doubles play had been the trend for IC thus far during the early portion of this season. Although Ithaca actually scored the early 1-0 lead in the match when sophomore Brianna Ruback and junior Taylor Ginestro scored a quick 8-3 win over Megan Brown and Julianna Loree in second doubles, that aforementioned trend continued to hold serve as well today. Union leveled the match in the third matchup of tandem play, defeating Ithaca's Steinberg and Hannan 8-4. The top doubles matchup also went the way of the visiting Dutchwomen, as Pezzuco and Webster defeated the junior tandem of Kathryn Shaffer and Caroline Dunn.
 
Despite the early deficit, the Bombers showed strong resolve to bounce back during the singles session. Ithaca took five of the matchups to complete the comeback and score their first victory of the spring.
 
The comeback bid started in the first-singles matchup between Ruback and Union's Pezzuco. IC's sophomore standout controlled matters from start-to-finish in a comprehensive 6-1, 6-0 straight-sets win. The victory was the second straight singles triumph for Ruback this spring, while the win leveled the team score at 2-2.
 
Dunn gave Ithaca its second lead of the day and first lead during the singles session when she scored a 6-1, 6-4 win over Julianne Loree in third-singles. Although Union's netter had a strong forehand return, Dunn was able to dictate the pace on Loree, forcing the Dutchwomen player into mistakes with excellent shot placement.
 
Unfortunately, Ithaca's lead would be short-lived, as Paige Webster was able to answer Dunn's win with a 6-1, 6-4 victory of her own over Ithaca's Sara Steinberg in the fifth-singles matchup. The loss evened the match at 3-3 with three bouts still in doubt, making for an interesting conclusion to the afternoon.
 
Ultimately, it was the Bombers will that paved the way to victory. Taylor Ginestro provided the turning point in the contest in her fourth-singles matchup against Alissa Sangiuolo. IC's junior actually dropped the opening set 3-6, but rallied in a big way to take momentum back for the home team. She forced a decisive third set with a 6-4 win in the second frame, before pulling away for the 6-2 win in the third set to push Ithaca back ahead.
 
Shaffer closed out the match in second singles. It actually looked as though the IC junior was going to roll to victory much earlier in the day when she dominated her way to a 6-2 win in the first set. Union's Megan Brown had something to say about that though, as she responded back with a 6-2 second set to force a third frame. The Dutchwomen nearly leveled the match in the third, as Shaffer trailed throughout, but was able to rally with a crucial break to force a tiebreaker. She went on to win that tiebreaker 7-4 to clinch the match for the Bombers.
 
With matters decided roughly halfway through the opening set of the sixth-singles matchup between newcomer Parley Hannan and Union's Alex Greenberg, the two sides agreed to play a pro set to decide the final matchup of the day. It was Hannan that prevailed, storming back from an early deficit to win the final two games in the 8-6 victory. The triumph was her first collegiate win.
 
Ithaca returns to action on Tuesday, March 6, when it heads to Geneva, N.Y., for a 5:00 p.m. contest at William Smith.