Philadelphia, Pa. - (10/25/2014) – Chestnut Hill College started strong against #2 Goldey-Beacom College in their Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) semifinal, taking a 2-1 lead at the conclusion of doubles play. But, the Lightning clinched a spot in the championship round with wins at number numbers four, five, six, and three singles, edging the #3 Griffins by a 5-3 final.
 
Chestnut Hill College (8-4) fought hard to gain the edge on Goldey-Beacom College (11-1), who won the regular-season matchup, 7-2. Juniors Iman Williams-Mulesa (Pickering, Ontario) and Axe Owens (Trenton, N.J.) delivered the first point of the match with an 8-2 result against senior Stephanie Puentes Robinson (Bogota, Colombia) and sophomore Amina Mrad (Berlin, Germany) at number two doubles.
 
The Lighting duo of senior Anastasia Melnikova (Vladivostok, Russia) and sophomore Nina Sengl (Puchheim, Germany) captured the number three doubles flight against junior Hayley Craskey (Aston, Pa.) and freshman Hannah Hills (Maize, KS), 8-4, to even the match, 1-1, before the hosts gained the upper hand with a marathon triumph at first doubles. Seniors Charlotte Dawson (Odessa, Texas) and Morgan Oechsle (Coopersburg, Pa.) outlasted Goldey-Beacom's top pairing of senior Filipa Correia (Monte Estoril, Portugal) and sophomore Maria Victoria (Totana, Spain), 9-7, to give the Griffins a 2-1 lead heading into singles play.
 
Unfortunately, the Lightning rebounded in individual play, surging ahead, 4-2, with three straight singles victories. Freshman Julia Gutierrez (Quart, Spain) defeated Owens 6-0, 6-1 at number four, Sengl took down Hills 6-1, 6-0 at number six, and Mrad upended Craskey 7-5, 6-1 in the fifth flight to send Goldey-Beacom College to the brink of victory. Dawson gave the Griffins hope with a 6-1, 6-0 win over freshman Laura Moreno (Murcia, Spain) at number one singles, 4-3, but Puentes Robinson sealed victory for the Lightning with a 6-1, 6-3 decision against Oechsle at number three.
 
Goldey-Beacom College will meet #1 Concordia College (N.Y.), a 5-1 winner over #4 Philadelphia University, in Sunday's championship, scheduled for 12:00 p.m. back at the Chestnut Hill College courts.
 
The Griffins conclude their fall season with an 8-4 record; they will resume play in the spring of 2015 with their annual trip to Florida.