Bates (9-3) gutted out the win over the visiting Panthers (3-5) with every match on the ladder except for the No. 1 position lasting either four or five games. The win broke a four-match skid against their NESCAC rivals.

Senior captain Luca Polgar (Budapest, Hungary) defeated Ideal Dowling 11-4, 11-6, 11-3 at No. 1 for the only 3-0 decision of the night, improving to 11-1 individually.

Middlebury won two of its points by a 3-2 score, and the third by a 3-1 score.

First-year Erika Parker (San Salvador, El Salvador) won 3-1 at the No. 2 spot, and junior Katie Manternach (Brooklyn, N.Y.) won her fifth straight match at No. 4, defeating Natalie Madden 3-1.

A pair of first-year players picked up 3-1 victories at the seventh and eighth spots in Victoria Haghighi (Bronx, N.Y.) and Cordelia Dotson (Houston, Texas), respectively. Sophomore Natalie Bachman (New Canaan, Conn.) picked up a crucial point at No. 9, coming back from a 2-1 deficit to defeat Mira Chugh 11-8, 6-11, 4-11, 11-9, 11-9.

Falling by 3-2 scores for Bates were junior Maeve O'Brien (Essex, Conn.) at No. 3 and sophomore Natasha Jones (Roslindale, Mass.) at No. 6, while first-year Ella Lungstrum (Brooklyn, N.Y.) fell 3-1 to Natasha Lowitt at No. 6.

Bates will host No. 18 Franklin & Marshall on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 12pm to conclude its home schedule.

Bates 6, Middlebury 3
Jan. 23, 2020 | Lewiston, Maine

1. Luca Polgar (B) def. Ideal Dowling (M) 11-4, 11-6, 11-3
2. Erika Parker (B) def. Virginia Schaus (M) 9-11, 11-7, 12-10, 11-9
3. Gwen Davis (M) def. Maeve O'Brien (B) 13-15, 7-11, 11-17, 11-9, 11-7
4. Katie Manternach (B) def. Natalie Madden (M) 11-8, 11-9, 5-11, 11-3
5. Emily Beinkampen (M) def. Ella Lungstrum (B) 12-10, 8-11, 11-6, 11-8
6. Natasha Lowitt (M) def. Natasha Jones (B) 9-11, 13-11, 7-11, 11-7, 11-6
7. Victoria Haghighi (B) def. Caroline Arena (M) 7-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-2
8. Cordelia Dotson (B) def. Anne Glassie (M) 11-9, 7-11, 11-9, 11-8
9. Natalie Bachman (B) def. Mira Chugh (M) 11-8, 6-11, 4-11, 11-9, 11-9