FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Niagara men’s tennis team’s eight-match win streak came to an end on Saturday against Fairfield in a clash between first place teams.

"The guys lost a very tough match today," head coach Anthony Nguyen said. "We knew the doubles point was going to be pivotal for us and unfortunately we weren't able to capitalize on the opportunity. We battled, but Fairfield was just a litter better today. We will learn from today's match and look forward to playing Bryant tomorrow."

The turning point of the match occurred in the opening stages of the match when NU (12-7, 4-1 MAAC) was a point away from winning the doubles point. NU lost the first doubles match when Michael Elortegui and Mathieu Lacasse fell 8-1 in three doubles to have their seven-match win streak snapped. NU leveled the doubles point in one doubles with Olivier Dufour-Coursol and David Raymond holding off Ofir Solomon and Dennis Zlobinsky to win 8-6.

The doubles point came down to two doubles and NU looked poised to the win as Brandon Gallegos and Lorenz Schwojer were up 7-2. However, Fairfield (10-6, 4-0 MAAC) reeled off seven straight points to win the match and hand them a 1-0 lead.

NU trailed 2-0 before Dufour-Coursol won his ninth straight match with a straight-set win over Erik Kremheller, 6-3, 6-4. After Fairfield’s Tesmond defeated Elortegui in No. 1 singles, Schwojer netted a 6-4, 7-5 victory in No. 4 singles to cut the deficit to 3-2.  Though, the Stags clinched the match in No. 6 singles and won in No. 2 singles to finish the match.

The defeat broke Niagara’s eight-match win streak which was the program’s longest in 10 seasons.

The Purple Eagles are back on the court tomorrow to play Bryant.

Fairfield 5, Niagara University 2
Singles competition
1. Tesmond, Ian (FFDM) def. Elortegui, Michael (NIA) 6-3, 6-2
2. Tioutine, George (FFDM) def. Raymond, David (NIA) 4-6, 6-1, 6-3
3. Dufour-Coursol, O. (NIA) def. Kremheller, Erik (FFDM) 6-3, 6-4
4. Schwojer, Lorenz (NIA) def. Zlobinsky, Dennis (FFDM) 6-4, 7-5
5. Solomon, Ofir (FFDM) def. Gallegos, Brandon (NIA) 6-2, 6-1
6. Amyot, Cameron (FFDM) def. Lacasse, Mathieu (NIA) 6-3, 6-3

Doubles competition
1. Dufour-Coursol, O./Raymond, David (NIA) def. Zlobinsky, Dennis/Solomon, Ofir (FFDM) 8-6
2. Amyot, Cameron/Tesmond, Ian (FFDM) def. Gallegos, Brandon/Schwojer, Lorenz (NIA) 9-7
3. Kremheller, Erik/Tioutine, George (FFDM) def. Lacasse, Mathieu/Elortegui, Michael (NIA) 8-1

Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (5,3,1,6,4,2)