NORTH TONAWANDA, N.Y. – The Niagara Purple Eagles slipped past the Loyola Greyhounds, 4-3, on Sunday to keep their first place lead in the conference with a 4-0 mark.
The Purple Eagles (9-5, 4-0 MAAC) escaped with the doubles point and held their nerves in singles to pull out the win against Loyola (3-1, 0-1 MAAC).
Niagara’s No. 1 doubles team of Hilary Hansen and Maria Ortiz won their match, 8-4, and NU clinched the point when the team of Iva Celan and Sarah Hellstern held off Megan Hahn and Olivia Ott, 9-8(3).
Hellstern won her 12th straight singles match to start her career with a convincing, 6-1, 6-1, win over Haleigh Morgus in No. 2 singles. Though, NU trailed 3-2 with two singles matches left. Celan defeated Sabrina Fedele, 6-4, 6-2, in five singles for her fourth straight win to tie the match at 3-3. In the final match of the day, Ortiz rallied for a set down to win 4-6, 6-1, 7-5.
NU’s 4-0 conference start is its best since going unbeaten (7-0) during the 2008-09 season.
“It was a real great effort by the team today,” head coach Anthony Nguyen said. “We knew it was going to be a battle. Winning the doubles point was going to be huge for us and hats off to Iva and Sarah for toughing out the winning doubles point. In singles, Maria once again was rock solid and clinched the match for us. I’m proud of the effort by everyone.”
The Purple Eagles are back on the court on Friday, March 29.
Niagara University 4, Loyola Maryland 3
Singles competition
1. Hahn, Megan (LOY) def. Hansen, Hilary (NIAW) 6-4, 1-6, 7-5
2. Hellstern, Sarah (NIAW) def. Morgus, Haleigh (LOY) 6-1, 6-1
3. Hughes, Emily (LOY) def. Ta, Ashley (NIAW) 6-2, 7-5
4. Ortiz, Maria (NIAW) def. Ott, Olivia (LOY) 4-6, 6-1, 7-5
5. Celan, Iva (NIAW) def. Fedele, Sabrina (LOY) 6-4, 6-2
6. Hoy, Scarlett (LOY) def. Sardellitti, Viki (NIAW) 6-2, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. Hansen, Hilary/Ortiz, Maria (NIAW) def. Morgus, Haleigh/Hughes, Emily (LOY) 8-4
2. Celan, Iva/Hellstern, Sarah (NIAW) def. Hahn, Megan/Ott, Olivia (LOY) 9-8 (7-3)
3. Fedele, Sabrina/Ash, Tiffany (LOY) def. Ta, Ashley/McCune, Jenna (NIAW) 8-6
