MARIETTA, Ohio — Marietta College women's tennis outlasted visiting Capital University in a four and one-half hour match to pick up the 7-2 Ohio Athletic Conference victory Tuesday (April 12) inside the Dyson Baudo Recreation Center. [Results]

With the win, the Pioneers improved to 4-7 overall and 1-3 in the league. The Crusaders fell to 0-6, including 0-4 in the OAC.

Marietta captured the first two points of the match when Kristina Reed (Grove City/Grove City) and Caitlin Cornell (South Park, Pa./South Park) won 8-2 at first doubles and then MacKenzie Boyles (Fairmont, W.Va./East) and Christina Tirpak (Galena/Olentangy) won 8-4 at second doubles. The Crusaders pulled within a point by taking third doubles 9-7.

Capital evened the scoreboard with a 6-3, 6-4 win at fourth singles. The Crusaders appeared to have stolen the momentum after taking the first set at both second and third singles. Marietta, however, showed its resiliency and fought back to win both of those points when Cornell took second singles 1-6, 6-2, 6-1 and Boyles rallied to win 2-6, 7-5, 6-0 at third singles.

Sarah Campbell (Arnold, Md./Annapolis Senior) sealed the team victory when she won 6-1, 6-2 at fifth singles. Moments later, Reed persevered through a marathon at first singles to win 6-3, 3-6, 6-1. Tirpak then finished off the Crusaders with a 9-7 pro set victory at sixth singles.

Marietta is back in action at 1 p.m. Saturday (April 16) when it plays host to Heidelberg University at the Beren Tennis Center.