MIDDLEBURY, VT – The Wilkes University women's tennis team was edged by Nichols College 5-4 in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament Thursday afternoon at Proctor Tennis Courts on the campus of Middlebury College.
 
Wilkes' season ends at 15-4, as the program competed in its 12^th straight NCAA Tournament. Nichols improved to 20-2 overall and advanced to the second round against Skidmore College.
 
Nichols opened doubles play with an 8-2 victory at No. 3 before another win at No. 1 pairs 8-6. Wilkes earned its first point of the match at No. 2 doubles when Francesca Varela-Seri (Stewartsville, NJ/Phillipsburg) and Laura Zielinski (Mt. Wolf, PA/Northeastern) posted a 9-8 win to cut the lead in half at 2-1 entering singles play.
 
Nichols pushed its advantage to 3-1 after Lindsey Kaplan beat Dagney Markle (New Oxford, PA/New Oxford) 6-2, 6-2 at No. 6 singles. Zielinski responded for Wilkes claiming her 20^th singles win of the year with a 6-2, 6-4 victory at No. 5 to keep the Lady Colonels close trailing 3-2. Varela-Seri made the comeback complete with a 6-2, 6-4 victory at No. 2 singles over Alanna Judd as the two teams went to the final three singles matches tied 3-3.
 
Nichols' Megan Nathanson posted a 6-4, 6-3 win over Dana Saliyev (Jamison, PA/Central Bucks South) at No. 3 before Erin Volutza (Sinking Spring, PA/Lancaster Catholic) secured a 3-6, 7-5, 6-1 victory at No. 4 to keep things even at 4-4 with the No. 1 singles match remaining as the decider.
 
At No. 1 singles Amarie Settiwongse won the first set 6-2 before Jordan Vasarkovy (Toms River, NJ/Toms River North) answered back with a 6-4 win in the second set. Vasarkovy led early in the third and deciding set, but Settiwongse scored the final three points on way to the 6-4 win clinching the match in the process.
 
 
Nichols 5, Wilkes University 4
 
Singles competition:
1. Amarie Settiwongse (NC) def. J. Vasarkovy (WUWT) 6-2, 4-6, 6-4
2. F. Varela-Seri (WUWT) def. Alanna Judd (NC) 6-2, 6-4
3. Megan Nathanson (NC) def. D. Saliyev (WUWT) 6-4, 6-3
4. E. Volutza (WUWT) def. Isabelle Leonardi (NC) 3-6, 7-5, 6-1
5. L. Zielinski (WUWT) def. Juliana Herrera (NC) 6-2, 6-4
6. Lindsey Kaplan (NC) def. D. Markle (WUWT) 6-2, 6-2
 
Doubles competition:
1. Amarie Settiwongse/Isabelle Leonardi (NC) def. J. Vasarkovy/D. Saliyev (WUWT) 8-6
2. F. Varela-Seri/L. Zielinski (WUWT) def. Ashley Dallaire/Megan Nathanson (NC) 9-8 (7-5)
3. Alanna Judd/Lindsey Kaplan (NC) def. E. Volutza/B. Stanton (WUWT) 8-2