Suzanne Elfman (left) and Haley Washington (right) won 8-4 at third doubles, and both went on to win 6-1, 6-0 in singles play as the No. 28 nationally ranked Bates women's tennis team defeated No. 29 Trinity 8-1 in Merrill Gym on April 8, 2018. (File photo by Phyllis Graber Jensen/Bates College)

LEWISTON, Maine -- The No. 28 nationally ranked Bates women's tennis team defeated No. 29 Trinity 8-1 Sunday in Merrill Gymnasium for a hard-fought second NESCAC victory of the season.

Bates (8-5, 2-2 NESCAC) swept the three doubles matches for a 3-0 lead, including 8-6 victories at first and second doubles. Senior Maisie Silverman (Brunswick, Maine) and junior Bella Stone (Concord, Mass.) edged Vanja Babunski and Julia Brogan by that score at No. 1 doules, and sophomore Lauren Hernandez (Chester, N.J.) and first-year Hannah Sweeney (Franklin, Mass.) prevailed 8-6 over Jillian Winer and Emily Curtis at No. 2. Meanwhile sophomore Suzanne Elfman (Longmeadow, Mass.) and first-year Haley Washington (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) had an easier time at third doubles, defeating Lily Everett and Ania Aliev 8-4.

Playing in her first singles match since March 18, Stone won 6-1, 6-0 over Winer at No. 3 singles, while Bates took fifth and sixth singles by the same score, with Hernandez defeating Everett at No. 5 and Washington downing Curtis at No. 6.

The day's most drama had little to do with the team result, as the Bantams (4-5, 1-2 NESCAC) earned their only point with Brogan's 6-3, 6-7(1), 14-12 victory over Sweeney at No. 2 singles, dealing the Bates first-year phenom only her third singles loss this season against 10 victories.

Bates prevailed in the day's two other three-set affairs, with Silverman defeating Babunski 5-7, 6-4, 10-5 at No. 1 and Elfman beating Aliev 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 at No. 4.

The Bobcats will stay at home to host Connecticut College on April 15 at 10am. Trinity will host Wesleyan Wednesday at 3:30pm.