Freshman Shella Dargout

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The Niagara University men’s and women’s tennis teams are back in action this weekend when they travel to Hamilton, N.Y., to play host Colgate University and Bloomsburg University in Sanford Field House.

The Purple Eagle women’s squad begins the weekend with a 9 a.m. match vs. Bloomsburg. They then take on Colgate at 5 p.m. The men’s team plays the Huskies at noon and then the Red Raiders at 10 a.m. Sunday.

The Niagara women’s squad is 3-4 overall this season after dropping a 6-3 match at Mercyhurst on Feb. 12. Senior Mariam Al-Shikarchy and junior Danielle Greiner remain undefeated as the Purple Eagles No. 1 doubles team. The pair are 5-0 in dual matches and 10-1 overall. Al-Shikarchy also sports a 6-1 dual singles record and a 10-3 overall mark at No. 1 singles.

Colgate is 2-2 on the season after defeating Siena, 7-0, on Feb. 12. Bloomsburg is 3-0, but hasn’t played a dual match since Sept. 19 when it beat Indiana (Pa.).

In last year’s meetings, Niagara defeated the Huskies, 5-2, and the Red Raiders, 4-3.

On the men’s side, the Purple Eagles will try to return to the win column after losing 6-1 at Binghamton last weekend. Junior Erick Garcia has a three-match winning streak and sports a 5-0 dual record at No. 2 and No. 3 singles and 12-6 overall mark. He also pairs with freshman Alex Abji at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles. The duo is 2-1 in dual matches and 2-2 overall.

Bloomsburg stands at 0-1 overall, playing its first dual match of the season on Feb. 12. The Huskies fell at Penn State, 7-0. Colgate will be looking to snap a nine-match losing streak. The Red Raiders are 1-9 on the season after losing, 4-3, at St. Joseph’s on Feb. 13.

Last year, Niagara dropped both matches, falling 6-1 to Bloomsburg and 7-0 to Colgate.