PENNINGTON, NJ – Daniela Naves (Alvarado, Mexico/Club Med Academies) and Sofia Gutierrez (Miami, FL/Palmetto Senior) each won at both singles, but the Rider University women's tennis team dropped a tough 4-2 decision to Towson Saturday evening at Hopewell Tennis Club. With the loss, the Broncs fall to 2-5, while the Tigers are now 2-3.

Towson started the match by sweeping the doubles point. Naves defeated Erin Gray, 7-5, 7-6, at No. 4 singles and Gutierrez made quick work of Nadeen Shrebati, 6-4, 6-0, at No. 6. However, the Tigers would take the remaining singles flights that finished. All were competitive, with Agnese Ceccarelli (Arezzo, Italy/Liceo Classico Francesco Petrarca) dropping a heartbreaker to Lea Kosanovic, 3-6, 6-3, 10-8, at No. 3. Jett Coetzee (Miami, FL/Miami Palmetto Senior) also won her first set, 7-5, before the match was abandoned deep into the second set with the match already decided.

"The intensity in our singles matches was the best I've seen in my time here at Rider," said Rider Head Coach Tom Battaglia. The team was feeding off each other's energy and it showed in the results. Unfortunately, we need to find a way to start out like this in doubles. We came out really nervous. It's all a learning curve. With such a young team, you'll go through these up's and down's."

The Broncs return to action Monday, March 13, when they face Fairleigh Dickinson in Orlando, FL. First serve is scheduled for noon.