NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – For the fourth consecutive year, the No. 2 seed Niagara University women’s tennis team (11-10) advances to the semifinals of the 25th Annual Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship after defeating No. 7 seed Rider University, 5-2, Friday afternoon at the United States Tennis Association Billie Jean King Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y.

The senior duo of Julianne Prokopich (Loretto, Ont.) and Jacquelyn Cary (Selkirk, N.Y.) were double winners for the Purple Eagles. The pair defeated Kelly-Ann Chouinard and Danielle Cheong, 8-4 at No. 3. Prokopich then downed Devin Crawbuck, 6-1, 6-3 at No. 2 singles and Cary took out Chouinard, 6-1, 6-4 at No. 5.

Junior Shella Dargout (Rochester, N.Y.) ran her overall singles record to 16-8 with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Kristina Paich at No. 4 singles. She also teamed with sophomore Vanja Lakic (Waterloo, Ont.) to defeat Paich and Danielle Morse, 8-5, at No. 2 doubles.

Sophomore Victoria Tiso (Clarence, N.Y./Clarence) won her fifth consecutive match with a 6-1, 6-0 win at No. 6 singles over Cheong.

The Purple Eagles’ No. 1 doubles team of senior Jennifer Cremieux (Ajax, Ont.) and freshman Molly Mathews (Pittsburgh, Pa.) won their eighth match of the season with an 8-3 defeat of Caitlin and Devin Crawbuck.

Niagara returns to action Saturday when it meets No. 3 seed Siena College at 11:30 a.m.