The Niagara women’s tennis program took its annual spring break to Virginia and Maryland to play four matches last week.

Niagara (7-5) faced George Mason (March 6), Hampton (March 7), Coppin State (March 9) and Morgan State (March 10). The Purple Eagles won three straight matches to start their trip before dropping the last match to Morgan State, 4-3.

NU knocked off GMU, 5-2. The doubles team of Hilary Hansen/Maria Ortiz and Sarah Hellstern/Iva Celan each won their doubles match to give NU the point.  In singles, NU got wins from Hansen, Hellstern, Ortiz and Celan.

The Purple Eagles swept Hampton the next day, 4-0. The Purple Eagles won all three doubles matches and had singles wins coming from Hansen, Ashley Ta and Hellstern. NU won the doubles point again and had little trouble in singles en route to a 5-1 win over Coppin State.

Niagara’s three-match win streak was snapped in a narrow setback to Morgan State. NU dropped the doubles point for the first time all week. Hellstern and Celan defeated their opponents while Viki Sardellitti won by defeault.

Hellstern extended her winning streak to start her career by taking all four singles matches. She is now 10-0 to begin her career. Hellstern’s doubles partner Celan won three of their four matches. Hellstern was named MAAC Women’s Tennis Player of the Week on March 12 to earn her second straight player of the week award.

Niagara is back home this weekend to play Siena (March 16) and Loyola (March 17).

Niagara University 5, George Mason 2
Singles competition
1. Hansen, Hilary (NIAW) def. Hicks, Maya (GMU) 6-2, 6-2
2. Pilkington, Brittany (GMU) def. Ta, Ashley (NIAW) 6-1, 7-5
3. Hellstern, Sarah (NIAW) def. Pappas, Kiersten (GMU) 6-3, 4-6, 10-6
4. Ortiz, Maria (NIAW) def. Erdenebat, E. (GMU) 6-4, 6-3
5. Celan, Iva (NIAW) def. Delaney, Ashley (GMU) 6-3, 6-3
6. Londen, Andrea (GMU) def. Sardellitti, Viki (NIAW) 6-0, 6-1

Doubles competition
1. Hansen, Hilary/Ortiz, Maria (NIAW) def. Pappas, Kiersten/Pilkington, Brittany (GMU) 8-5
2. Celan, Iva/Hellstern, Sarah (NIAW) def. Delaney, Ashley/Hicks, Maya (GMU) 8-3
3. Desiatnikova, E./Erdenebat, E. (GMU) def. Ta, Ashley/McCune, Jenna (NIAW) 8-3

Niagara University 4, Hampton 0
Singles competition
1. Hansen, Hilary (NIAW) def. SCOTT, Melanie (HAMW) 6-0, 6-0
2. Ta, Ashley (NIAW) def. DAOLIO, Tabita (HAMW) 6-0, 6-4
3. Hellstern, Sarah (NIAW) def. BUTLER,Danielle (HAMW) 6-0, 6-1
4. HENRY, Renee (HAMW) vs. Ortiz, Maria (NIAW) 3-6, 3-5, unfinished
5. CHARLES, Daneya (HAMW) vs. Celan, Iva (NIAW) 1-4, unfinished

Doubles competition
1. Hansen, Hilary/Ortiz, Maria (NIAW) def. SCOTT, Melanie/BUTLER,Danielle (HAMW) 8-2
2. Celan, Iva/Hellstern, Sarah (NIAW) def. DAOLIO, Tabita/CHARLES, Daneya (HAMW) 8-3
3. Ta, Ashley/McCune, Jenna (NIAW) def. HENRY, Renee/DAVIS,Fionna (HAMW) 8-0

Niagara University 5, Coppin State 1
Singles competition
1. Hansen, Hilary (NIAW) def. Chisholm, Katherine (COPPINST) 6-0, 6-0
2. Ta, Ashley (NIAW) def. Mile, Ashley (COPPINST) 6-4, 2-6, 10-0
3. Hellstern, Sarah (NIAW) def. Taylor, Miranda (COPPINST) 6-0, 6-0
4. Sardellitti, Viki (NIAW) def. Mitchell, Jennifer (COPPINST) 6-0, 6-0
5. Mukam, Lauretta (COPPINST) def. Zilka, Rachel (NIAW) 6-3, 6-1

Doubles competition
1. Ortiz, Maria/Hansen, Hilary (NIAW) def. Mile, Ashley/Taylor, Miranda (COPPINST) 8-1
2. Celan, Iva/Hellstern, Sarah (NIAW) def. Chisholm, Katherine/Mitchell, Jennifer (COPPINST) 8-2

Morgan State 4, Niagara University 3
Singles competition
1. Iakovleva, Ekaterina (MORGANST) def. Hansen, Hilary (NIAW) 6-2, 6-3
2. Cooper, Mi'Kola (MORGANST) def. Ta, Ashley (NIAW) 6-4, 5-7, 6-1
3. Hellstern, Sarah (NIAW) def. Russell, Chelsi (MORGANST) 6-2, 6-2
4. Edwards, Jasmine (MORGANST) def. Ortiz, Maria (NIAW) 1-6, 6-2, 6-4
5. Celan, Iva (NIAW) def. Hughes, Tiffany (MORGANST) 6-0, 6-0
6. Sardellitti, Viki (NIAW) def. No player (MORGANST), by default

Doubles competition
1. Cooper, Mi'Kola/Russell, Chelsi (MORGANST) def. Hansen, Hilary/Ortiz, Maria (NIAW) 9-7
2. Iakovleva, Ekaterina/Edwards, Jasmine (MORGANST) def. Celan, Iva/Hellstern, Sarah (NIAW) 8-4