Latham, NY – When the season started the SUNY Oneonta Women's Tennis Team was not in any conversation about national rankings.  But for one day in September the Oneonta women can be included in such a conversation.  RPI put five former junior USTA nationally ranked players in their lineup today that  corresponds with a number 19  position in the country compiled by the Tennis Recruiting.net preseason poll for top incoming freshmen classes amongst Division III women's tennis programs.  Taking a 5-0 record to RPI today the Red Dragons were hoping for a respectable performance from their lineup and to gain some recognition regionally.  However, when the dust settled Oneonta walked off the tennis complex 5-4 winners victorious in dramatic fashion.  

The doubles was a competitive affair beginning in the number one position as senior Alyssa Brault (Rochester/Churchville-Chili) and sophomore Julieta Eulau (Oceanside/Oceanside) got the early break and then when they were broken quickly got the service break back again.  It held up and the Red Dragon pair simply played smart in their shot selection and held on to win 9-7.  The third doubles duo of freshman Alexandra Dratch (Montgomery/Valley Central) and freshman Madeline Carswell (Albany/Bethlehem) went down a break in the set but kept things close and eventually went up a break only to lose it to allow the RPI tandem draw even forcing a tiebreaker.  However, the freshmen from Oneonta played poised tennis and closed out the match 9-8 (7-4).  Crucial were these two double wins allowing the Oneonta squad a 2-1 advantage they surely needed going into singles.

The drama that took place in the singles stanza was spectacular on all courts with battles ebbing and flowing in each match-up with each team trying to gain an advantage.  Eulau positioned at number one outlasted her opponent 6-1 and 3-2 before the RPI foe had to retire due to a wrist injury.  Sophomore Mya Lipscomb (Peekskill/Walter Panas) continues to make the most of her fall campaigns and stays undefeated in championship season competition since last fall.  Lipscomb was down a break in the first set and got it back and then got her own service break which held up earning a 7-5 win and was never seriously threatened in the second set closing out the victory 6-3.  The match of the evening took place in the sixth flight which proved to be the decider.  Carswell dropped the first set 6-7 (4) but showed mental resiliency that is not routine for freshmen.  Down a service break in the second set Carswell tightened up quickly and got the break back and then another one to earn a 6-4 victory forcing the super-tiebreaker to decide the dual match.  With her teammates on the sideline rooting for her Carswell did let her nerve get to her a bit and fell behind 5-2.  She fought back to get to 5-5 and won five of the next eight points and earned a very impressive win for herself and more inspiring win for her team pulling off the magical upset 5-4.  The win allowed the Red Dragon women's tennis team to stay undefeated on the year thus far with the victorious streak at six.

The Red Dragon women will take a day off and then prepare for Elmira College which comes to visit on Friday, September 21^st beginning at 4 PM at the Heissan Tennis Courts on the campus of SUNY Oneonta.