BOSTON, Mass. – The Simmons Sharks handed Emmanuel College Women's Tennis its first loss of the 2011 season this afternoon, falling 8-1. The local rivalry featured both Colleges of the Fenway (COF) teams playing on their home courts at the Winsor School. The Sharks jumped out to an early 2-1 lead after the doubles action and then swept all six singles matches to remain unbeaten in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference.

The Sharks scored their first points of the afternoon off of wins at first and second doubles. Sabrina Salmela (Beverly, Mass.) and Andree Sime (Bradenton, Fla.) teamed up for an 8-4 win over Emmanuel's Taylor Dey (Woodbridge, Conn.) and Alex Hadlock (Framingham, Mass.). Nicole Eskenazi (Goleta, Calif.) and Allison Bodek (Lynnfield, Mass.) then topped the Saints' sophomore tandem of Amanda Woznicki (Bristol, Conn.) and Jenny Konecnik (Sparta, N.H.), 8-5. Emmanuel's lone point came via a 9-7 victory in third doubles. Junior Jenna Reid (Lincoln, R.I.) and freshman Jenni Hewes (Cape Elizabeth, Me.) topped Simmons' Rachel Sweeney (Norfolk, Mass.) and Kristi Mielbye (Hanson, Mass.).

The Sharks took all six singles matches in straight sets. Salmela defeated Dey at No. 1, 6-2, 6-4. Bodek picked up a 6-3, 6-2 win over Hadlock at No. 2. Sime rolled past Woznicki, 6-1, 6-0.

Eskenazi fought back from a set point by Reid to win, 7-6 and 6-2, at fourth singles. Sweeney defeated Konecnik, 6-3, 6-3, and Mielbye downed Hewes, 6-0, 6-2.

With the loss, Emmanuel drops to 4-1 on the season and 2-1 in the GNAC, while Simmons improves to 5-3 overall and 4-0 in the league. The Sharks will host Johnson & Wales University in GNAC action on Sunday at 1:00 PM. The Saints will play another GNAC match this Saturday, taking on Anna Maria College in Paxton, Mass. in an 11:00 AM start.