DUDLEY, Mass. (September 9, 2019) – The Franklin Pierce University women's tennis team trailed after doubles play on the road on Monday afternoon, but was not deterred. The Ravens responded by taking four of six singles matches to post a come-from-behind, 5-4 win in non-conference play at Nichols.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 1-1, while Nichols falls to 1-1.

With the match being contested at Nichols, it was played under Division III rules, with each of the three doubles matches counting for a point apiece. Franklin Pierce opened with a win at first doubles, as graduate student Himani Mor (Sonipat, India) and freshman Liria Loria (La Paz, Bolivia) teamed to double up Nichols seniors Amarie Settiwongse and Isabelle Leonardi, 8-4. Nichols answered with a dominant, 8-2 win at second doubles, as seniors Rachel McDonald and Megan Nathanson rolled past freshman Laura Alvarez Tello (Vigo, Spain) and senior Sarah Rich (Windham, Maine).

It was third doubles which was the most intense of the three, as freshmen Jazmin Flood (Laredo, Texas) and Jillian Pagliuca (Taunton, Mass.) locked horns with seniors Danielle Mandel and Lindsey Kaplan all the way into a tiebreak. The Nichols pair ultimately prevailed, 8-7 (5), and the Bison took a 2-1 lead into singles play.

In singles play, Nichols would make it a 3-1 advantage, as fourth singles was the first match to complete, with junior Juliana Herrera bettering Rich in straight sets, 6-0, 6-3. From there though, the rally was on for the Ravens. At second singles, Loria dispatched sophomore Kara Stankewitz, 6-2, 6-4. Flood followed with a straight-set win of her own at sixth singles to even the score, as she took care of Mandel, 6-3, 6-2.

Franklin Pierce would make it straight-set wins at each of the top three singles matches, as the team's top players came through to clinch the team match. A win at first singles put the Ravens ahead, 4-3, as Mor went past Settiwongse, 7-5, 6-1. It was third singles which would wrap things up, as Alvarez Tello knocked off Nathanson, 6-4, 7-5.

Nichols chalked up a win at fifth singles to create the 5-4 final, as Leonardi outlasted Pagliuca, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3.

The Ravens return to the court on Wednesday, Sept. 11, when they travel to New Haven for an NE10 match at 3 p.m. in West Haven, Conn.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (https://www.fpuravens.com). 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 (https://www.shopfpuravens.com).