BENNINGTON, Vt. -- The MCLA women's tennis team Sunday needed a final day victory over Husson to clinch a spot in next week's NAC postseason tournament.

 

The Trailblazers battled hard, however they dropped a heartbreaking 5-4 decision to Husson in a match played at the Bennington Tennis Center.

 

The Trailblazers end their season at 6-5 (4-3 NAC) while the Eagles improve to 6-2 (5-2 NAC).

 

The match came down to the sixth singles match as they were knotted up at 4-4 after eight matches were in. Husson's Marisa Brown held off MCLA's Shelby Gauthier in three sets to earn the clinching point for the Eagles.

 

MCLA actually started fast taking two of the three doubles matches. Emily Deaso and Williamstown’s Mariza Sfakianaki won 8-1 over the duo of Meridith Blessard and Katie Pratt for the first point. The Trailblazers took another point in the third doubles match when Sam Gawron teamed with Anna Despart to win a hard fought 8-6 match against Brown and Kelsey Pelletier.  Husson's Charlotte Bednarz and Sarah Smith cruised to an 8-1 match victory against the freshman pairing of Briana Higgins and Sarah Hachadourian. The score stood at 2-1 heading into singles play.

 

In singles play, Husson's Blessard defeated Sfakianaki in the top slot 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to tie the match. Emily Deaso won her match in the second slot for MCLA, 6-1, 3-6, 6-1, giving the Trailblazers a brief edge, but Husson's Pratt won in straight sets over Despart to tie the match at 3-3 heading into the final three matches of the day.

 

Gawron cruised to a fourth singles point for MCLA while Husson's Pelletier did the same setting the stage for the sixth match of Brown versus Gauthier. Brown took the opening set, 6-2, before Gauthier rallied in the second set, 4-6. The match would come down to the third set, and Brown prevailed, 6-1, to close out the match for Husson.

 

The Eagles will head into the postseason tournament next Saturday hosted by Colby Sawyer.