Box Score

Purchase, NY (Oct. 1, 2012) – A two week layoff may have caused some rust for the Purchase College women's tennis team, but it was nothing a long match couldn't wear off.

Inclement weather delayed the Panthers return to the hard courts until tonight's tilt with visiting Sage, but when Purchase finally got back in the groove, a long three-plus hour marathon of tennis followed and the Panthers prevailed 5-4, outlasting the Gators in their Skyline Conference opener.

The Panthers started strong in doubles, winning two of three. No. 1 tandem Moriah Ormsby (JR/Montebello, NY) and Ashley Bernhardt (JR/Bethpage, NY) won 8-5 and Melissa Siller (SO/Roslyn Heights, NY) and Chelsea Quinn (JR/Southold, NY) captured a victory at third doubles, 8-3.

Leading 2-1 heading into singles, Sage's Kirsten Ackerman won with Ana Stan (FR/Doncaster, VIC) unable to finish due to injury. Sage would then capture wins at No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 singles, with the second singles a marathon match within itself. Mackenzie Riley outlasted Ormsby 6-1, 1-6, 6-4.

But Bernhardt, Quinn and Lilly Murray (JR/New Canaan, CT) came through from the bottom of the order, as Purchase edged Sage by a single point for the match. Bernhardt defeated Christina Kroder 6-2, 6-0 at No. 4; Quinn topped Mary Kate Hayward 3-6, 6-0, 6-1 in come-from-behind fashion at fifth singles and Murray was dominant at No. 6. She won in straight sets (6-0, 6-0).

Purchase's Angelica Pina (SO/Bronx, NY) and Kim Whitehead (SR/Ronkonkoma, NY) also looked strong in exhibition action.

The Panthers are now 4-1 overall and 1-0 in Skyline play.