Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

CLAREMONT, Calif. – The Athena's of Claremont-M-S proved why they are No. 2 in the ITA Rankings Saturday morning as they cruised to the clean sweep of the Whittier College Poets dropping the Purple & Gold to 9-7, 2-4 SCIAC.

The No. 1 doubles duo of freshman Maegan Zamilpa and junior Liliana Serylo pushed the Athena No. 1 squad to the brink after trailing 3-0 and then 5-2 before knotting the match up at 5-5 and then 6-6.  But despite fighting back, CMS managed to grab a late break and then held for the 8-6 victory. 

Senior Lauren Gelgur had the best shot at giving the Poets their lone point on the morning after leading 4-1 and then 5-2 against Victoria Nichols at No. 6 singles but Gelgur was unable to hold on as she fell 7-6 (2), 6-3.  She led 3-1 in the second set as well but Nichols managed to rattle off five straight games to keep the sweep intact.

Sophomore Benay Weintraub was the other Poet in singles at No. 4 who fought in a matchup that consisted of break after break but in the end she was unable to  take the victory falling 6-3, 6-3 to Yvonne Likomanova.

Whittier returns to action this Friday, April 19 when they host Occidental College on the Richard Ettinger Tennis Courts beginning at 2:00pm.       

Doubles:

1. LIM, Kristin/ HALEY, Abby (CMS)  def. Meagan Zamilpa/ Liliana Serylo (WC) 8-6

2. LIM, Crystal/ WARD, Caroline (CMS) def. Adrienne Hamada/ Benay Weintraub (WC) 8-1

3. DOBBERT, Chloe/ KUKINO, Sarah (CMS) def. Lauren Gelgur/ Brianna Campanero (WC) 8-1

Singles:

1. LIM, Kristin (CMS) def. Meagan Zamilpa (WC) 6-0, 6-3

2. HALEY, Abby (CMS) def. Adrienne Hamada (WC) 6-0, 6-1

3. WARD, Caroline (CMS) def. Liliana Serylo (WC) 6-1, 6-0

4. LIKOMANOVA, Yvonne (CMS) def. Benay Weintraub (WC) 6-3, 6-3

5. COUGHLAN, Erin (CMS) def. Brianna Campanero (WC) 6-3, 6-1

6. NICHOLS, Victoria (CMS) def. Lauren Gelgur (WC) 7-6 (2), 6-3