BOSTON, Mass. -- Senior Marissa Johnson (Norwell, Mass.) was a double-winner to lead the Simmons University women's tennis team in a 5-4 loss to visiting Gordon College this afternoon at Daly Courts in Brighton, Mass. The Sharks fall to 0-2 on the season, while the Fighting Scots improve to 2-0.
Johnson combined with classmate Nickie Nguyen (Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam/Saint Joseph Preparatory (Mass.)) for an 8-5 win at number one singles over the Gordon duo of senior Anne Carsey (Flagstaff, Ariz Carsey and sophomore Madison West (Southampton, N.Y.) to pull the Sharks even at 1-1 in the match.
Simmons entered singles play with a 3-1 lead following its win at first doubles, in addition, to forfeit wins at number three doubles and sixth singles due to the Fighting Scots being short a player.
Sophomore Anna Mullane (North Chelmsford, Mass.) began Gordon's comeback with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Simmons first year Leah Bonis (Bath, Maine) at fourth singles to cut the margin to 3-2. West also gained a straight-set triumph for the Fighting Scots with a 6-2, 6-0 win at number three singles over Sharks sophomore Sarah Mariski (Portland, Maine) to pull Gordon even at 3-3, before Johnson's win at second singles put Simmons a win singles win away from taking the dual match.
Johnson battled to a 6-4 first-set win at second singles, before cruising to a match win with a 6-1 effort in the second frame to down Fighting Scots senior Emily Ontiveros (Sylmar, Calif.) and give Simmons a 4-3 edge.
Gordon won the final two singles matches to take home the match. Carsey outlasted Nguyen in three sets at number one singles. She cruised to a 6-0 opening set win, before Nguyen bounced back with a 7-5 second set decision. Carsey doubled up Nguyen in the third set, 6-3, to knot the match at 4-4 for Gordon. Junior Abigail Graves (Whitinsville, Mass.) gutted out a tough straight set win at number five singles over first year Shark Libby Weed (Brooksville, Maine). Graves won the initial set, 6-4, before Weed played her to a 6-6 effort in the second. Graves bared down and won the final point with a 7-1 tie-breaking showing to give the Fighting Scots the dual match win.
Ontiveros and Graves took the first doubles match of the afternoon with a count of 8-1 over Mariski and Bones at number two doubles to put Gordon on the board, before Johnson and Nguyen combined for the matches tying point in doubles action.
Simmons returns to the courts on Thursday, September 5 when it hosts Lesley University at 4:30 p.m., while the Fighting Scots travel to Providence, R.I. on September 4 to take on Johnson & Wales University at 4:00 p.m.