NORTHAMPTON, Mass. - Junior Mary Matthews (Wakefield, R.I.) and first year Marissa Johnson (Norwell, Mass.) earned a win for the Simmons College women's tennis team today at the New England Women's Intercollegiate Tennis Tournament hosted by Mount Holyoke College in Northampton, Mass.

Matthews and Johnson combined to defeat sophomore Emily Leahy (Lake Zurich, Ill.) and first year Emily Ontiveros (Sylmar, Calif.) of Gordon College, 8-2, in the first round of the 'D' Draw. The Sharks' pair were each beaten in three sets in singles play, though. Johnson defeated Leahy in the opening set, 6-4, but was beaten in the next two frames, 6-2, 10-6. Matthews won the middle set of her match vs. Ontiveros, 6-2, but dropped the opening frame, 6-2 and the final set, 10-4.

Simmons first year Jessica Schroedl (Staatsburg, N.Y.) and junior Olivia Lakes (Dorchester, Mass.) were both defeated in singles and doubles play of the 'B' Draw to the Brandeis University sophomore duo of Keren Khromchenko (Manalapan, N.J.) and Michele Lehat (Great Neck, N.Y.). Schroedl was downed by Khromchenko, 6-1, 6-1, while Lakes fell to Lehat, 6-0, 6-0. The Simmons pair was beaten in doubles play, 8-3. 

The Sharks' first year combo of Nickie Nguyen (Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam/Saint Joseph Preparatory (Mass.)) and Mai Driesen (Fayetteville, N.Y.) were each defeated in singles action and doubles play in the 'D' Draw. Nguyen was beaten by Endicott College sophomore Lauren Rahr (Waterford, Conn.), 6-0, 6-0, while Driesen battled to a three-set loss to Endicott senior Jamie Zompa (Marlborough, Mass.), cruising in the first set, 6-0, before dropping the next two frames, 6-2 and 10-7. Rahr paired with sophomore Reilly Fitzgibbons (Killingworth, Conn.) to earn an 8-0 victory over the Simmons duo.

The Sharks return to action tomorrow in their respective brackets.