NORTH TONAWANDA, N.Y. – The Niagara Purple Eagles suffered their first conference loss of the season with a 5-2 setback to the Fairfield Stags on Saturday.
 
The Purple Eagles, who entered the match in first place, had their three-match winning streak snapped in the defeat to Fairfield (6-7, 3-1 MAAC).
 
The Stags led 1-0 after winning the doubles point and won in No. 1 and five singles in straight sets to take a quick 3-0 lead. Fairfield would clinch the match with wins in six and two singles before NU (10-6, 4-1 MAAC ) would pick up wins.
 
In No. 3 singles, Paulina Velasquez defeated Allison Radde, 3-6, 6-0, 10-8 for her eighth straight victory and to improve to 5-0 in conference matches. Maria Ortiz topped Carolina Koladzyn, 6-1, 2-6, 6-2 in four singles to also improve to 5-0 in MAAC matches.
 
Niagara heads on the road next weekend to face Quinnipiac and Manhattan.
 
Fairfield University 5, Niagara University 2
 Singles competition
1. Yajima, Monica (FFDW) def. Ta, Ashley (NIAW) 6-3, 6-0
2. Ryan, Sharissa (FFDW) def. Hellstern, Sarah (NIAW) 6-3, 6-0
3. Velasquez, Paulina (NIAW) def. Radde, Allison (FFDW) 3-6, 6-0, 10-8
4. Ortiz, Maria (NIAW) def. Koladzyn, Carolina (FFDW) 6-1, 2-6, 6-2
5. Nelson, Kaila (FFDW) def. Celan, Iva (NIAW) 6-0, 6-1
6. Pirrello, Victoria (FFDW) def. McCune, Jenna (NIAW) 6-0, 6-2
 
 Doubles competition
1. Hellstern, Sarah/Velasquez, Paulina (NIAW) vs. Yajima, Monica/Koladzyn, Carolina (FFDW) 4-6, unfinished
2. Ryan, Sharissa/Pirrello, Victoria (FFDW) def. Ortiz, Maria/Celan, Iva (NIAW) 8-4
3. Radde, Allison/Nelson, Kaila (FFDW) def. Ta, Ashley/McCune, Jenna (NIAW) 8-2
 
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (1,5,6,2,3,4)