NEW YORK – Sophomore Ryann Young and freshman Gabby Sullivan won singles matches, but the women's tennis team lost a 5-2 decision Saturday at Columbia in the teams' Ivy League opener at Dick Savitt Tennis Center.
 
Young improved to 11-1 on the season, exclusively from the No. 3 spot, with a 3-6, 6-3, (12-10) victory over Iani Alecsiu. Sullivan was the Big Red's lone winner in straight sets, taking down the Lions' Crystal Leung, 6-1, 7-6(1) at the No. 4 spot, but the hosts had already clinched the match by the time Cornell notched its two points on the day.
 
The Big Red lost the doubles point, despite a 9-8(4) victory from junior Sarah O'Neil and freshman Lauren Frazier at the No. 1 spot. Columbia (10-3, 1-0 Ivy) then clinched the match with victories at the Nos. 5, 6 and 2 spots before Cornell (9-4, 0-1) could get on the board. The loss ended the Big Red's five-match winning streak against the Lions in Ivy League play.
 
Cornell wraps up its six-match stretch away from home with matches at Harvard and Dartmouth next weekend.
 
COLUMBIA 5, CORNELL 2
Saturday, March 31
At Dick Savitt Tennis Center; New York, N.Y.
Singles
1. Nicole Bartnik (Col) def. Sarah O'Neil, 6-7(5), 6-1, (10-7)
2. Bianca Sanon (Col) def. Christine Ordway, 6-3, 6-4                              
3. Ryann Young (Cor) def. Iani Alecsiu, 3-6, 6-3, (12-10)
4. Gabby Sullivan (Cor) def. Crystal Leung, 6-1, 7-6(1)
5. Katarina Kovacevic (Col) def. Lauren Frazier, 6-1, 7-5
6. Tiana Takenaga (Col) def. Courtney Malinchak, 6-1, 6-3
Doubles
1. O'Neil/Frazier (Cor) def. Sanon/Takenaga, 9-8(4)
2. Bartnik/Alecsiu (Col) def. Sullivan/Young, 8-5
3. Leung/Kovacevic (Col) def. Malinchak/Ordway, 8-6
Order of finish
Doubles (3,2,1), Singles (5,6,2,4,3,1)
Records
Cornell 8-5, 0-1 Ivy; Columbia 10-3, 1-0