NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – The Niagara women's tennis program wrapped up its regular season with a 5-2 win over the Marist Red Foxes on Saturday to extend its winning streak to five matches.
Niagara (10-7, 7-1 MAAC) earned its seventh conference win to tie a program-best; the feat was last done during the 2008-09 season when the Purple Eagles went 7-0. The victory clinched the No. 2 seed in next week's MAAC Tournament in West Windsor, N.J. from April 25-26.
Prior to the match, NU honored its four seniors –
Iva Celan,
Jenna McCune,
Maria Ortiz and
Ashley Ta.
NU battled to win the doubles point. The No. 2 tandem of
Brooke Briseno and
Stella Peisakhova won their fifth straight match by cruising past Marist's Callei Morlock and Sabrina Tahir, 8-3. After Marist rallied to win in one doubles, 8-5, the No. 3 team of
Iva Celan and
Ashley Ta held on to beat Elizabeth Brozovich and Nikki Rohan, 8-7(4).
Niagara won singles matches through the third to sixth spots.
Paulina Velasquez eased past Rohan, 6-1, 6-1 at three singles as the Purple Eagles led 2-0. However, the Red Foxes tied the match at 2-2 with wins in No 1 and 2 singles.
Though, Niagara's four, five and six singles players won their respective matches in straight sets. Peisakhova earned her sixth straight win with a 6-3, 6-2 win at four singles to go a perfect 8-0 in MAAC play. Ortiz knotted her fifth straight win with a 6-2, 6-3 win at five singles. Briseno extended her team-best winning streak to eight matches with a convincing 6-0, 6-3 win at six singles as NU defeated Marist for the second straight season.
Niagara will face Fairfield in the MAAC Tournament semifinals on Saturday, April 25 at the Mercer County Park. The Purple Eagles defeated the Stags, 5-2, on April 11.
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Niagara University 5, Marist 2 Singles competition
1. Pang,Karly (MARW) def. Celan, Iva (NIAW) 6-2, 6-3
2. Schmitz,Claire (MARW) def. Ta, Ashley (NIAW) 6-1, 6-0
3. Velasquez, Paulina (NIAW) def. Rohan,Nikki (MARW) 6-1, 6-1
4. Peisakhova, Stella (NIAW) def. Morlock,Callie (MARW) 6-3, 6-2
5. Ortiz, Maria (NIAW) def. Brozovich,Elizabeth (MARW) 6-2, 6-3
6. Briseno, Brooke (NIAW) def. Ventimiglia,Lisa (MARW) 6-0, 6-3
Doubles competition
1. Pang,Karly/Schmitz,Claire (MARW) def. Ortiz, Maria/Velasquez, Paulina (NIAW) 8-5
2. Briseno, Brooke/Peisakhova, Stella (NIAW) def. Morlock,Callie/Tahir,Sabrina (MARW) 8-3
3. Celan, Iva/Ta, Ashley (NIAW) def. Brozovich,Elizabeth/Rohan,Nikki (MARW) 8-7 (7-4)
