Women's Tennis

Meghan Damico and the Big Red are back in the NCAA Quarterfinals for the second straight year.

The Denison women's tennis team will be making their second consecutive trip to the NCAA Quarterfinals (elite 8) following their 5-1 win over DePauw University in the third round of the 2008 NCAA Division III Championship tournament from Blackstock Courts in Greencastle, Ind.

Denison No. 2 doubles team of Meghan Damico (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel) and Kendra Murray (Kirkwood, Mo./Kirkwood) battled from a 6-6 tie to take the final two points and pull off a 8-6 win over Janelle Arita and Kelly Buckley.  The victory by Damico and Murray gave DU a 2-1 advantage heading into singles play.

In other doubles action, Marta Drane (Wilmington, Del./Tower Hill) and Kristen Cobb (Dayton, Ohio/Oakwood) rolled past Erin Andrade and Kayla Smith, 8-3.  At third doubles, Kristine Lewry and Greer Mackie kept DePauw alive with an 8-6 win over Denison's Erin Gorsich (Dover, Ohio/Dover) and Kara Zdanowski (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer).

In singles play, Cobb made short work of Buckley at No. 2 with a 6-3, 6-3 victory to give DU a 3-1 lead.  Damico would follow minutes later by completing her straight-set win over Arita at first singles.  Damico won the first set 7-5 and came back from a 2-2 score in the second set for a 6-2 win.

The decisive fifth point would be secured by Drane at third singles thanks to her 6-3, 7-5 win over Mackie.

This was the third meeting between Denison and DePauw in 2008 and after today's win, the Big Red take the season series, 2-1.  DU will now look ahead to the NCAA Quarterfinals which will take place in Saint Peter, Minn. on the campus of Gustavus Adolphus.  Denison, who was ranked fifth in the most recent FILA/ITA Division III coaches poll, will face No. 4 Emory on May 13.

This is the fourth appearance in the NCAA's round of eight out of the last five seasons for the Denison women's tennis team.

View Results [htm]