March 27, 2004

RIVERDALE, NY - Loyola's women's tennis team handed Manhattan a 6-1 loss while the Greyhound men fell to the Jaspers by the same score as Loyola returned to Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play on Friday afternoon.

The Greyhound women cruised to a sweep of the doubles competition while they took that momentum into singles play, winning five of six singles matches.

Kaitlin Russo started things off for Loyola with a 6-1, 6-4 win at No. 2 singles, No. 3 player Gina Turturiello battled her way to a 2-1 victory, No. 4 player Amy Nitch posted an easy 6-1, 6-1 win, Jessica Liberatore racked up a 6-3, 6-1 triumph at the No. 5 slot, and Claire Najour rolled to a straight-set 6-3, 6-1 win at No. 6.

On the men's side, freshman John Curren notched the only win of the day for Head Coach Rick McClure's squad as he toughed out a three-set win by taking Game One 6-3, losing in Game Two 3-6, but winning in Game Three 10-3 for a 2-1 win.

Adam Wessinger also played well for Loyola at the No. 4 slot, but fell in three sets 6-4, 3-6, 2-6. Nick Bowers challenged one of the MAAC's best players at the No. 1 spot, but lost 6-2, 7-5.

"I am extremely happy with our men's performance," said McClure after the match. "Our guys played as well as they could against a Manhattan team that should win the MAAC and end Marist's five-year run as MAAC champ. Our women's team played very well top to bottom."

Loyola continues its MAAC road trip today when the men's and women's team face Fairfield.