NEW LONDON, N.H. -- First year Leah Bonis (Bath, Maine) was a double-winner to lead the Simmons University women's tennis team to a 5-4 comeback victory over host Colby-Sawyer College this afternoon in Great Northeast Athletic Conference play at Mountainside Racquet and Fitness Club in New London, N.H. The Sharks improve to 2-3 overall and 1-1 in league play, while the Chargers fall to 1-4 and 1-1.

Simmons erased a 4-1 deficit and came back to win four straight singles matches to win the dual match, 5-4.

Bonis combined with junior Carrie St. Peter (Chester, N.H.) to earn an 8-4 victory at number three doubles over the Colby-Sawyer pair of junior Margaret Fox (New Orleans, La.) and first year Hannah Nasser (Middletown, R.I.) to give the Sharks their only point in doubles play.

Bonis sparked the Simmons comeback with a three-set triumph at number four singles to pull the Sharks to within 4-2. The rookie won the opening set, 6-2, over Chargers sophomore Juliet Henderson (Swanzey, N.H.). Henderson responded by winning the middle frame, 6-3, but Bonis stormed back with a dominant 6-0 third-set win.

Senior Marissa Johnson (Norwell, Mass.) also battled to a three-set victory at number two singles. Senior Alexa Conlin (Westborough, Mass.) looked primed to wrap up the dual match for Colby-Sawyer after winning the opening set, 6-2, and leading in the second, 4-1. Johnson was reslient, however, winning five straight points to take the second frame, 6-4. She completed the comeback with a 6-4 third-set win to bring Simmons another step closer to a win and improve her season singles mark to 4-1.

Sophomore Megan McKeever (Stamford, Conn.) kept the Sharks momentum going with a 6-0, 6-2 win at fifth singles over Fox, before first year Libby Weed (Brooksville, Maine) squared off with Nasser at number six singles. Weed took the first set, 6-4, before dominating the second frame, 6-0, to give Simmons the dramatic victory.

Junior Yashu Yang (Kunming City, China) teamed with Conlin to open the match with an 8-2 win at number one doubles over senior Nickie Nguyen (Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam/Saint Joseph Preparatory (Mass.)) and Johnson to give the Chargers a 1-0 lead. Sophomore Amira Eid (Pelham, N.H.) paired with Henderson for an 8-5 victory at second doubles over McKeever and sophomore Sarah Mariski (Portland, Maine) to close out doubles play and give Colby-Sawyer a 2-1 edge.

The Chargers won the first two singles matches of the day to take a 4-1 lead. Yang breezed at first singles, 6-1, 6-0 over Nguyen, before Eid downed Mariski, 6-2, 6-2, at third singles.

The Sharks return to action tomorrow when they host Mount Holyoke College at 12:00 p.m. on Daly Courts, while Colby-Sawyer hosts GNAC foe Eastern Nazarene College on September 18 at 3:30 p.m.