ALFRED, NY – The Alfred University women's tennis team was edged out of an Empire 8 playoff spot, 5-4 by Houghton College in a six-hour long match on Saturday afternoon on the William T. Brown Tennis Courts.
 
The Saxons (4-8, 2-4 Empire 8) and the Highlanders were all tied up 4-4 as No. 6 singles was still to be decided. The hopes of earning a playoff spot was already on edge as the match had a tiebreaker in doubles and then two more in singles. The No. 6 singles match between AU's Isabelle Benoit (Bow, NH/Tilton School) and HC's Tessa Brown ended in favor of the Highlanders but it was not easily won. The winning set score for Brown was 6-0, 6-7(6-8), 7-6(7-2).
 
"Such a close match today between us and Houghton," Head Coach Jordan Crouch said. "I'm really proud of our team and how we battled to the very end with them. Can't wait to get out again tomorrow for our season finale against Brockport!"
 
AU's first point of the day was scored by the No. 2 doubles team of Anna Gwozdz (South Wales, NY/Iroquois) and Abigail Call (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy), winning the point with a score of 8-7(7-4). Call would be the only Saxon to go undefeated on the day with a No. 4 singles win of 6-3, 6-4, being the first of the singles matches to conclude, tying the overall score, 2-2.
 
Lauren Boshart (Oswego, NY/Oswego) tied the match at 3-3 after a No. 2 singles loss as she won No. 3 singles, 6-5, 5-7, 6-0. Houghton got the 4-3 lead as No. 1 singles wrapped up in another three-set fight. Eve Liu (Yantai, China/Wilbraham and Monson Academy) knotted the match up again, 4-4 before No. 6 singles was decided.
 
The Saxons will next host SUNY Brockport on Sunday, October 10 at 1:00pm.