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Friedman and Dounchis win four matches in two days to win MIT Invitational Doubles

9/15/2024 2:30:00 PM

CAMBRIDGE, MA - On Sunday, the Amherst College women's tennis team played its final day of the MIT Invitational on the duPont Tennis Courts. The three-day tournament, which began on Friday, constitutes the Mammoths' first tournament of the fall season and marks the team's return to competition since last May. Players from four top Division III teams - Tufts, Bowdoin, Amherst, and MIT (the hosts) - competed in the singles and doubles tournament.

RESULTS HIGHLIGHTS:

The only Amherst player remaining in the singles draw on the third day was Senior Deliala Friedman. Friedman ended the Spring season with a #20 national singles ranking, and the 7th best player in the NESCAC. After winning her first three matches, including one in a third set match tiebreak, Friedman met Fiona Lee of MIT in the Semifinals. The match went in Lee's favor, with a score of 6-1, 6-1. First-year Lee then went on to win the final by beating Tufts' Melanie Woodbury with a similar score of 6-1, 6-2.
Friedman then had less than a couple of hours to recover and prepare for her second match of the day. This time, she had the Final of the doubles tournament with her Sophomore partner, Lily Dounchis. The pair took on Jamila Karah and Bella Hurtung of Bowdoin, and prevailed with a score of 8-5. As champions of the 19-pair MIT Invitational doubles tournament, Friedman and Dounchis, two All-Americans, look set to continue their positive momentum from last season, where they reached the Quarterfinals of the NCAA D3 National Doubles Championship in Orlando, FL.

UP NEXT:

After getting the opportunity to compete this weekend, the Mammoths will now return to the practice courts in preparation for their next tournament next weekend. Beginning on Friday, Amherst will play in the ITA Division III New England Regional Championships hosted by Bowdoin College in Brunswick, ME. Like the MIT Invitational, this tournament will involve a large singles and doubles draw.

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