WELLESLEY TENNIS WINS 2011 NEWMAC CHAMPIONSHIP

BABSON PARK, Mass. - Top-seeded Wellesley College secured its 11th conference title and the program's eighth bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament thanks to a 5-1 victory over second-seeded MIT in the championship match of the 2011 New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Women's Tennis Tournament on Sunday afternoon.

The teams split the first two completed doubles matchups, both by scores of 8-6. MIT first-year Michelle Dutt and senior Anastasia Vishnevetsky outdueled Wellesley's combination of sophomore Diana Granger and first-year Emily Bary at number two, while the Blue's first-year duo of Melissa Clark and Joyce Chen edged the Engineers' team of first-years Juana Becerra and Vynnie Kong at number three.

In the number one doubles match, Wellesley's tandem of senior Marie Watanabe and first-year Sojung Lee outlasted MIT's top duo of sophomores Lauren Quisenberry and Julia Hsu in a tie-breaker, 9-8 (7). Down 6-1 in the tie-breaker, Watanabe and Lee battled back to win the match, giving Wellesley a 2-1 advantage in team scoring. 

With their team needing three points to clinch the championship, Wellesley sophomore Kendall Tada picked up a quick 6-1, 6-2 win at number six singles and sophomore Erica Choo followed with a 6-2, 6-3 triumph at number two. Moments later, Granger finished off a 6-1, 6-2 victory at number four to clinch the match and the conference title for the Blue. It was Granger's third win of the weekend and her second in singles play as she collected Most Outstanding Player accolades.

The event, hosted at Babson College's Farwell Courts, marked the end of the fall season for Wellesley. The Blue compiled an impressive 10-1 record, with their only loss of the season coming to defending NCAA National Champion, Williams. 

2011 NEWMAC Tennis Champions

Granger Accepts Most Outstanding Player Award	Captains with the NEWMAC trophy

Courtesy Babson College Sports Information