DeWitt, N.Y. – The Le Moyne College women's tennis team suffered a 4-3 setback to two-time defending Northeast-10 Conference champion Franklin Pierce University on Wednesday afternoon at Elevate Fitness.

"It was a tough loss today for us Dolphins," said head coach Jeff Lonczak '03. "We fought hard and were points away from victory. Credit goes to Franklin Pierce. They did what it took to win, as would be expected from a team that's made nationals in back-to-back seasons."

The Ravens, who have advanced to the round of 16 at the NCAA Championships each of the last two years, took the lead in the match by claiming the point in the doubles competition. Le Moyne earned the win at the third position as freshmen Alicia Alvarez (Madrid, Spain/IES Ortega y Gasset) and Paula Casares (A Coruna, Spain/Colegio Maristas Cristo Rey) downed Zoe Asterio Correa and Jillian Pagliuca, 6-1. Liria Loria and Ana Platisa evened the score at one apiece with a 6-2 victory over sophomore Isabella Barona (Manta, Ecuador/Talentos de Manta) and Francesca Lilliegren (Guayaquil, Ecuador/Colegio Alemán Humboldt Guayaquil) at the first spot. Maria Aguilo and Aynara Ferraz clinched the point with a 6-4 win at the second position over freshman Stella Simeonova (Sofia, Bulgaria/National Gymnasium of Mathematics and Natural Sciences) and junior Fiona Pepper (Challapampa, Peru/Colegio Anglo Americano Prescott).
 
Franklin Pierce clinched the match by winning the first three points of the singles competition. At the second position, Loria was a 6-3, 7-5 winner over Simeonova. Aguilo rallied from down a set at the top spot to defeat Barona, 4-6, 6-0, 6-2. Platisa also rallied after dropping the first set for a 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-1) win at the third position over Alvarez. Casares remained undefeated in dual matches as her opponent at the fourth spot retired midway through the second set. Pepper cruised at the sixth position over. Pagliuca, 8-0. Lilliegren closed out the match with a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Correa at the fifth spot.

Le Moyne (3-3, 2-2 NE10) continues its four-match homestand on Saturday, hosting Assumption University at 12:00 p.m. at the Skytop Tennis Courts.