WALTHAM, Mass. - The Simmons College women's tennis team was defeated by host Bentley University, 8-1, today in Waltham, Mass. The Sharks fall to 10-7, while the Falcons improve to 10-11 in their final dual match of the regular season.

Bentley took a 2-0 lead with wins at number two and three doubles, before Simmons tallied its only point of the match with a victory at number one doubles. Senior Meg Cokely (Haverhill, Mass.) (12-3 singles, 16-5 doubles) and junior Theresa Reinhard (Canton, Ohio) (9-5 singles, 16-5 doubles) posted an 8-4 victory at first doubles over senior Ludmila Yamus (Deer Park, N.Y.) and junior Rachel Petrini (Madison, Conn.) to cut the Sharks' deficit to 2-1.

The senior tandem of Catherine Gianino (Burlington, Mass.) and Brittani Hetyei (Vernon, N.J.) downed Simmons' seniors Katie Crowley (Reading, Mass.) (8-6 singles, 9-7 doubles) and Rachael Downey (Groveland, Mass.) (8-7 singles, 13-9 doubles), 8-2, at number two doubles to open the scoring. The Falcons took a 2-0 lead when senior Lexie Hinrichs (Franklin, Mass.) and sophomore Olivia von Oldenburg (Austin, Texas) teamed to defeat first year Ashley Chen (Hilo, Hawaii) (8-7 singles, 10-13 doubles) and sophomore Mary Matthews (Wakefield, R.I.) (1-3 singles, 8-11 doubles) at number three doubles, 8-5.

First year Hannah Fabianski (Pawcatuck, Conn.) earned a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Chen at number five singles to give Bentley a 3-1 margin. Cokely's eight-match win streak came to an end with her first match at number one singles resulting in a 6-0, 6-3 loss to Yamus. The Falcons continued to cruise in singles action with a triumph at third singles to clinch the match. Hetyei was the victor over Crowley at number three with a 6-1, 6-2 decision for a 5-1 lead in the match. 

Petrini followed suit for Bentley with a 6-0, 6-2 win at fourth singles over Downey, before sophomore Corrie MacLean (Trumbull, Conn.) came away with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over junior Ashley Pierce (Carver, Mass.) (6-6 singles, 3-2 doubles) at number six singles. The Falcons completed the sweep in singles play when Gianino scored a victory over Reinhard at second singles. Gianino won the first set, 6-3, and led the second, 5-0, but Reinhard fought back to tie the set at 5-5, before Gianino regrouped to take the frame, 7-5.

The Sharks will play their regular-season finale on Saturday, April 23 when they head to Beverly, Mass. to take on Endicott College in a 9:00 a.m. match.