POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – In a match that finished early Sunday morning, the Purple Eagles defeated the Marist Red Foxes, 4-3, to put them in prime position to qualify for the 2016 MAAC Tournament.
Niagara (8-10, 4-2 MAAC) had to come from behind twice in order to beat the Red Foxes (5-11, 4-1 MAAC) for the third straight season.
NU trailed 1-0 after the completion of doubles despite Niagara's No. 1 tandem of
Sydnee Wheeler and
Haley Hollins collecting a 7-5 win.
Hollins tied the match at 1-1 with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Ariel Shulman in No. 2 singles. Wheeler, then, put NU in front with a 6-4, 6-2 victory in three singles. Marist won in No. 6 and No. 4 singles to take a 3-2 lead.
Stella Peisakhova outlasted Marist's Karlene Pang, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, in No. 1 singles to tie the match at 3-3. The deciding match came down to
Sharlee Deshmukh in five singles with the freshman winning in three sets, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-1, to clinch the match.
Niagara wraps up MAAC regular season play against Saint Peter's on Sunday.
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Niagara University 4, Marist 3 Singles competition
1. Peisakhova, Stella (NIAW) def. Karlene Pang (MARW) 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
2. Hollins, Haley (NIAW) def. Ariel Shulman (MARW) 6-2, 6-2
3. Wheeler, Sydnee (NIAW) def. Claire Schmitz (MARW) 6-4, 6-2
4. Elizabeth Brozovich (MARW) def. Wong, Shannon (NIAW) 6-1, 6-3
5. Deshmukh, Sharlee (NIAW) def. Nikki Rohan (MARW) 7-6, 4-6, 6-1
6. Callie Morlock (MARW) def. Richert, Leann (NIAW) 6-1, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. Wheeler, Sydnee/Hollins, Haley (NIAW) def. Karlene Pang/Claire Schmitz (MARW) 7-5
2. Caroline Lozo/Ariel Shulman (MARW) def. Peisakhova, Stella/Wong, Shannon (NIAW) 6-4
3. Melissa Carlay/Lisa Ventimiglia (MARW) def. Deshmukh, Sharlee/Richert, Leann (NIAW) 6-1
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (); Singles (2,3,6,4,1,5)
