April 22, 2005

Flushing, N.Y. - The fourth-seeded women's tennis team claimed a 5-2 first-round victory over Fairfield at the 2005 MAAC Championships on Friday afternoon at the U.S. Open in Flushing, N.Y. The men, who entered as the No. 5 seed, fell to Niagara in their first-round match-up.

In doubles competition, the women got off to a quick start with a victory at No. 1 with Jessica Liberator and Amy Nitch winning 8-2. The Greyhounds claimed the doubles point with Stefanie Clay and Claire Najour winning a hard-fought No. 3 match, 9-7.

Nitch also claimed a 6-3, 6-4 win at No. 1 singles while Clay and Najour claimed straight-set victories at No. 4 and No. 5 singles respectively. Meagan McKenna won her No. 3 singles match, 6-1, 6-1 to give the `Hounds their five points.

In men's action, Dan Schiemel and Ben Epstein won their No. 2 doubles match 8-6, but entered singles competition trailing 1-0 after the Purple Eagles won at both No. 1 and No. 3 doubles.

John Curran won a 6-0, 6-0 match at No. 5 singles and Epstein won 6-3, 6-1 at No. 6, but it wasn't enough to keep the Greyhounds out of the consolation bracket.

The Loyola men play at 4:30 p.m. tomorrow while the women take on top-seeded Marist in the MAAC semifinals at 11 a.m.