RINDGE, N.H. (September 4, 2016) – The Franklin Pierce University women's tennis team was defeated in its season opener, 8-1, by Roberts Wesleyan on Sunday, in non-conference play at Franklin Pierce.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce opens the 2016-17 campaign at 0-1, while Roberts Wesleyan improves to 1-1.

The lone point of the day for the Ravens came at first doubles, courtesy of freshman Alana Wyatt (Worcester, Mass.) and junior Sonia Rodrigues (Swansea, Mass.), who tangled with Roberts Wesleyan junior Natalia Cardona and sophomore Marousia Bosch. The match went to a tiebreak, before the Franklin Pierce pair ultimately pulled out the 9-8 (7-3) win. Elsewhere, Roberts Wesleyan surrendered just two games across the remaining two doubles matches and did not drop a set over six singles matches.

In all, the Redhawks had four players who were victorious in both singles and doubles play on Sunday, led by sophomore Tiffany Hamdan, who won at both second singles and second doubles. At second singles, Rodrigues held close in the first set, but Hamdan would eventually pick up a 6-4, 6-0 win. At second doubles, Hamdan teamed with freshman Salome Darsalia to steamroll to an 8-0 win.

The Ravens return to the court on Wednesday, Sept. 7, when they remain home to host Merrimack in a Northeast-10 Conference match at 3 p.m.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce tennis apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).