Double winner Mariam Al-Shikarchy

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The Niagara University women’s tennis team (0-1) lost its season opener Saturday with a 4-3 loss to Duquesne University (1-0) in Pittsburgh, Pa.

The Purple Eagles won the doubles point, winning two of the three matches. Senior Mariam Al-Shikarchy and junior Danielle Grenier won at No. 1 doubles, 8-3, over Jacqueline Hughes and Andrea Sailer. At No. 2, sophomores Jacquelyn Cary and Julianne Prokopich beat the Dukes’ Sarah Shanahan and Julie Wagner, 8-3. Senior Kendra Daigler (North Tonawanda, N.Y./North Tonwanda) and freshman Shella Dargout lost to Johanna Bezjak and Ciara McDermott, 8-1, at No. 3.

In singles, Niagara took a 2-0 lead when Al-Shikarchy defeated Hughes, 6-0, 6-2 at No. 1. Duquesne scored its first point in the match when Dargout fell to Alicia McNamara, 6-0, 6-1 at No. 5.

The Dukes tied the match when Purple Eagle freshman Paige Welch lost to Wagner, 6-4, 6-2, at No.6. Duquesne went up 3-2 when Prokopich dropped a 6-0, 6-2 match at No. 4 to Shanahan.

Niagara tied the match at 3-3 when Daigler defeated Sailer, 6-3, 6-2 at No. 2, but Cary was beaten 6-1, 6-1 at No. 3 by Bezjak.

The Purple Eagles return to action Sunday when they play Pittsburgh at 11 a.m.