WEST POINT, NY – The Rider University women's tennis team fell in a pair of 4-0 defeats to Army West Point and Sacred Heart Sunday in West Point. With the losses, the Broncs fall to 0-3 on the year.

Against Army, the Broncs were competitive at No. 2 doubles, with Jett Coetzee (Miami, FL/Miami Palmetto Senior) and Laila Fishman (Marlboro, NJ/Marlboro) pushing Julia Kelly and Jenna Sabile with the Black Knights' duo leading 4-3 when the match was halted. Army took Nos. 1 and 3, both by 6-1 scores, to clinch the point.

The Black Knights took straight-sets victories at Nos. 3, 4 and 6 to clinch the match. Fishman led her second set at No. 1, 4-2, when her match was halted, while Sofia Gutierrez (Miami, FL/Palmetto Senior) also took four games in her match before it was halted with her trailing, 6-2, 4-2.

Against Sacred Heart, Elle Catanzarite (Flemington, NJ/Hunterdon Central) and Avery Oppenheim (Marietta, GA/Walton/Georgia Connections) earned a 6-4 victory over Malena del Olmo and Olivia Kharkover at No. 3 doubles, but the Pioneers took the doubles point with wins at Nos. 1 and 2. Fishman and Coetzee were competitive at No. 2, but fell to Flavia Rambaldi and Vitalina Golod, 6-4.

All six singles flights were competitive, with at least three games won in every set by the Broncs. The Pioneers clinched the match with wins at Nos. 2, 3 and 6. Coetzee took the first set at No. 4 against Kharkover, 7-6, and the second set was tied at 4-4 when it was halted. Fishman was edged in the first set at No. 1 against Katsiaryna Starastsenka, 7-6, before trailing 5-4 in the second when the match was stopped. Oppenheim also fell in the first set at No. 6, 7-6, to Ana Sofia Angeles Sanchez before the match was halted while tied at 3-3 in the second set.  

"It was a tale of two matches for us," said Rider Head Coach Tom Battaglia. "We never really found our groove against Army, but we came out really aggressive against a really good Sacred Heart team. Really good energy on all the courts. As a coach, you can't ask for better effort. We were close to possibly pulling out a few courts, but we just need to make a few adjustments in practice to get over the hump."

The Broncs return to action Wednesday, when they travel to St. John's. First serve from Queens, NY, is scheduled for noon.