FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Niagara women’s tennis team took sole possession of first place by edging defending champion Fairfield, 4-3, on Saturday.

Niagara (13-5, 6-0 MAAC) improved to 6-0 in conference for the first time since going undefeated in MAAC play during the 2008-09 season, which was also the last time NU defeated Fairfield (7-7, 4-1 MAAC).  The Purple Eagles can clinch the regular-season title with a win against Marist on April 20. NU’s six-match win streak is its longest since April 2005 (six straight).

"The women found a way to tough out a huge doubles point today," head coach Anthony Nguyen said. "I was proud of the way we fought and supported each other."

NU won the doubles point for the sixth consecutive match. The No. 2 tandem of Iva Celan and Sarah Hellstern outlasted Fairfield’s Sharissa Ryand and Allison Radde, 9-7, to extend their team-best six-match win streak. Ashley Ta and Jenna McCune held off Victoria Pirrello and Nikki Jackson, 8-6, in three doubles for their third straight win to seal the point for the Purple Eagles.

The Purple Eagles led 3-2 through the first four singles matches. Ta defeated Carolina Koladzyn in straight sets, 7-6 (5), 6-3, in three singles and Celan topped Victoria Pirrello, 6-4, 6-4, in five singles. Fairfield tied the match at 3-3 by winning in No. 4 singles to set up a winner-take-all match between Hellstern and Ryan in two singles. Hellstern dropped the first set but rallied to win the next two sets for her 14th win of the spring.

"Sarah showed great composure in pulling out the deciding match," Nguyen added. "Today was a total team effort."

Niagara continues its road trip on Sunday against Bryant.

Niagara University 4, Fairfield University 3
Singles competition
1. Yajima, Monica (FFDW) def. Hansen, Hilary (NIAW) 6-2, 6-1
2. Hellstern, Sarah (NIAW) def. Ryan, Sharissa (FFDW) 3-6, 6-4, 6-4
3. Ta, Ashley (NIAW) def. Koladzyn, Carolina (FFDW) 7-6 (8-5), 6-3
4. Radde, Allison (FFDW) def. Ortiz, Maria (NIAW) 6-2, 6-4
5. Celan, Iva (NIAW) def. Pirrello, Victoria (FFDW) 6-4, 6-4
6. Jackson, Nikki (FFDW) def. McCune, Jenna (NIAW) 6-2, 6-1

Doubles competition
1. Yajima, Monica/Koladzyn, Carolina (FFDW) def. Hansen, Hilary/Ortiz, Maria (NIAW) 8-2
2. Hellstern, Sarah/Celan, Iva (NIAW) def. Ryan, Sharissa/Radde, Allison (FFDW) 9-7
3. McCune, Jenna/Ta, Ashley (NIAW) def. Pirrello, Victoria/Jackson, Nikki (FFDW) 8-6

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