Ravens travel to Merrimack on Saturday

WALTHAM, Mass. (September 25, 2013) – The Franklin Pierce University women's tennis team was defeated, 9-0, by Bentley in Northeast-10 Conference play at Bentley on Wednesday afternoon.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 0-3 (0-3 Northeast-10), while Bentley opens its season at 1-0 (1-0 Northeast-10).

The energetic pair of senior Natasha McCarthy (Rindge, N.H.) and junior Emily Parrett (Amherst, N.H.) put up the toughest fight for the Ravens at first doubles. However, they were not strong enough to take down with the Bentley paring of sophomore Ludmila Yamus and freshman Rachel Petrini, who took the match, 8-6.

The Ravens also mustered a fight at second doubles, where their team of sophomore Kirby Melbourne (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.) and junior Leslie Rodgers (Westminster, Md.) fell, 8-3, to sophomores Catherine Gianino and Brittani Hetyei.

The Ravens continued to fight through the rest of the afternoon, but could not do any significant damage, as the well-prepped Falcons showcased their athleticism in volley returns, service, ball placement and net play to secure wins in all six singles matches. Yamus, in particular, after hanging on for the first doubles win, blitzed McCarthy at first singles, 6-0, 6-0.

The Ravens return to the court on Friday, Sept. 27, when they travel to Merrimack for a Northeast-10 Conference match at 2:30 p.m. in North Andover, Mass.

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' brand new online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).