RINDGE, N.H. (September 15, 2016) – The Franklin Pierce University women's tennis team picked up its first win of the 2016-17 campaign on Thursday afternoon, rolling to a 7-2 win at home over American International in Northeast-10 Conference play.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 1-5 (1-4 Northeast-10), while American International falls to 1-3 (1-3 Northeast-10).

The Ravens were more than halfway to the win before play even started on Thursday, as they picked up three points by way of default. AIC fielded just two doubles teams and four singles players, which allowed Franklin Pierce to take wins at third doubles, fifth singles and sixth singles.

The defaults allowed Franklin Pierce to pick up their first win of the season by the end of doubles play, as the Ravens also won at both first and second doubles to open up an insurmountable, 5-0 lead. At first doubles, freshman Alana Wyatt (Worcester, Mass.) and junior Sonia Rodrigues (Swansea, Mass.) teamed up to post an 8-4 win over AIC senior Eleanna Fulop and graduate student Logan Smith. At second doubles, freshmen Sarah Rich (Windham, Maine) and Kelly O'Donnell (Maywood, N.J.) collected an 8-1 win over sophomores Carleyah McLean and Alice Calabrese.

With the match already decided, the two teams would split the four singles matches which were played. At first singles, McLean defeated Wyatt, 7-6 (7-3), 6-1 to get AIC on the board. At second singles, Fulop took the first set from Rodrigues, 6-1, before the latter retired. Meanwhile, Franklin Pierce picked up straight-set wins at both third and fourth singles. At third singles, it was a 6-3, 6-1 win for senior Kara Brazel (Glastonbury, Conn.) over Smith. At fourth singles, junior Maria Quagliano (Branford, Conn.) notched a 6-0, 6-0 win over Calabrese.

The Ravens return to the court on Saturday, Sept. 17, when they remain home to host New Haven in a Northeast-10 match at 1 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).