Emory University junior Zahra Dawson and senior Lorne McManigle won their opening doubles match of the USTA/ITA Small College Nationals, advancing to Friday’s semifinal match.

Dawson and McManigle, the draw’s second-seeded pair, earned a straight-set, 6-1, 6-3 victory over unseeded Megan Gaard and Marianne Barau of Gustavus Adolphus College.  Emory’s duo will advance to face Kristin Lim and Crystal Lim of Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges, the third-seeded pair, on Friday at 1:00 PM.

Earlier in the day, in her opening match of the singles draw, Dawson, the second overall seed in the tournament, fell to Samantha Frank of Gustavus Adolphus College 6-3, 6-3.  The junior will move on to the consolation bracket, where she will face third-seeded Jennifer Kung of the University of Chicago, on Friday at 8:30 AM.

Action will continue from the Copeland-Cox Tennis Center in Mobile, Alabama tomorrow, with the doubles third-place and championship matches following the doubles semifinals.