ITHACA, N.Y. – The women's tennis team won five of six singles matches to defeat Rutgers, 5-2, on Sunday at Reis Tennis Center. Junior Michelle Wang and freshman Cheyenne Lilienthal teamed up to win at No. 3 doubles before going on to win their respective singles matches.
 
Cornell (5-4) fell behind after the Rutgers (4-2) won the doubles point, but the Big Red won four of the first sets in six singles matches. Sophomore Ananya Dua rolled to a 6-2, 6-0 win at No. 3 to knot the score at 1, then Wang's straight-set win at No. 6 gave Cornell a 2-1 lead.
 
Senior Madison Stevens bounced back from a first-set loss to force a third set at No. 5, then won when her opponent retired. Senior Priyanka Shah clinched with a 6-3, 7-5 win at No. 1, and Lilienthal capped the scoring by winning at No. 4.
 
The Big Red improves to 6-8 against the Scarlet Knights, though this was the first time the programs have met since 2010.
 
Cornell continues its six-match home stand next weekend, when it hosts Indiana at 5 p.m. Friday and Seton Hall at 1 p.m. Saturday at Reis Tennis Center.
 
CORNELL 5, RUTGERS 2
At Reis Tennis Center; Ithaca, N.Y.
Singles
1. Priyanka Shah (C) def. Mingxiu Du, 6-3, 7-5
2. Chloe Lee (R) def. Mariko Iinuma, 6-3, 7-6(4)
3. Ananya Dua (C) def. Kat Muzik, 6-2, 6-0
4. Cheyenne Lilienthal (C) def. Jaci Cochrane, 6-3, 7-5
5. Madison Stevens (C) def. Maya Jacobs, 3-6, 7-5, 1-0 (ret.)
6. Michelle Wang (C) def. Isabelle Da Silva, 6-4, 6-3
Doubles
1. Du/Muzik (R) def. Iinuma/Shah, 7-6(4)
2. Cochrane/Jacobs (R) def. Dua/Stevens, 6-3
3. Lilienthal/Wang (C) def. Da Silva/Lee, 6-4
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1), Singles (3,6,5,1,4,2)
Records: Cornell 5-4, Rutgers 4-2