QUINCY, Mass. -- The Simmons University women's tennis team was defeated by host Eastern Nazarene College, 8-1, this afternoon in Great Northeast Athletic Conference play at the ENC Tennis Courts in Quincy, Mass. The Sharks fall to 5-7 overall and 3-3 in league play, while the Lions improve to 9-2 and 5-1.
Junior Carrie St. Peter (Chester, N.H.) earned the lone point for Simmons, dropping just one game in a 6-0, 6-1 victory at sixth singles over junior Makayla Grantham (Appalachian, N.Y.) to improve her singles record to a perfect 3-0 for the season.
The Sharks senior duo of Marissa Johnson (Norwell, Mass.) and Nickie Nguyen (Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam/Saint Joseph Preparatory (Mass.)) took Eastern Nazarene junior Emily Ruttkowski (Castrop-Rauxel, Germany) and first year Magdalena Hubel (Berlin, Germany) to the limit in an 8-7 (3) defeat at number one doubles. Ruttkowski was a double-winner for the Lions with a three-set triumph at second singles, winning the final two sets after falling 6-3 in the opening set to Johnson. She rebounded to take the second frame, 6-3, and the third 10-8 in pro-set form. Nguyen fell at number one singles for Simmons, losing to senior Sharon Biondi (Barquisimeto, Venezuela), 6-1, 6-1. The win at first singles gave Eastern Nazarene a 5-0 lead to take the dual match. Biondi also picked up a victory at second doubles with senior partner Veronica Jimenez (Lynn, Mass.), 8-1, over the Sharks sophomore pairing of Sarah Mariski (Portland, Maine) and Megan McKeever (Stamford, Conn.).
Hubel picked up a 6-2, 6-2 win at number three singles for Simmons over Mariski, while Jimenez also turned in a 6-2, 6-2 win at fourth singles over Bonis as one of five double-winners for the Lions.
First year Maria Busila (Malaga, Spain) teamed with Grantham at third doubles to earn an 8-4 victory over the Simmons combo of first year Leah Bonis (Bath, Maine) and St. Peter. Busila did not drop a game in singles play for Eastern Nazarene and added her second win in a 6-0, 6-0 decision over McKeever at number five singles.
The Sharks return to action on Monday, October 7 when they host Smith College at 3:00 p.m. at Daly Courts, while the Lions host Endicott College on October 9 at 3:30 p.m.
