NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – After finishing the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular season with a 6-1 record, the Niagara University women’s tennis team (11-10) earned the No. 2 seed in the 25th annual MAAC Tennis Tournament Friday through Sunday. The Purple Eagles begin play in the opening round of the tournament against seventh-seeded Rider University at 11 a.m. Friday at the United States Tennis Association Billie Jean King Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y.

If Niagara advances to the semifinals, it will play the winner of third-seeded Siena College and fourth-seed Manhattan College at 11:30 a.m. Saturday. The championship match is scheduled for 11 a.m. Sunday.

The 2005 MAAC champions are seeded behind Marist College whom it lost to in the MAAC regular season finale, 6-1.

The tournament is being held at the USTA Tennis Center, which includes 18 courts. The MAAC Championship will be held on six courts, excluding the stadium courts. Admission to the tournament is free and seating capacity is over 5,000.

Niagara has finished in the top five in six of the last eight tournaments. Last year, Niagara defeated Rider in the first round (6-1), but lost to No. 1 seed Marist, 4-1, in the semifinals.

Rider enters the tournament with a 1-6 MAAC record. The Purple Eagles defeated the Broncs 7-0 in the regular-season meeting.

Friday, April 20

No. 1 Marist (7-0) vs. No. 8 Saint Peter’s (0-7), 9 a.m.

No. 4 Manhattan (4-3) vs. No. 5 Loyola (4-3), 9 a.m.

No. 3 Siena (5-2) vs. No. 6 Fairfield (2-5), 11 a.m.

No. 2 Niagara (6-1) vs. No. 6 Rider (1-6), 11 a.m.

Consolation Rounds, 9 a.m.

Semifinal Rounds, 11:30 a.m.

7th Place, 8:30 a.m.

5th Place, 8:30 a.m.

3rd Place, 10:30 a.m.

Championship, 11 a.m.