BOSTON, Mass. – The Simmons University women's tennis team boasted four double-winners en-route to an 8-1 victory over visiting Lesley University this afternoon on Daly Courts in Brighton, Mass. The Sharks improve to 1-4 on the season, while the Lynx fall to 1-4. 

Junior Nickie Nguyen (Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam/St. Joseph Prep. (Mass.)) earned wins at both number one doubles and singles to lead Simmons. Nguyen paired with classmate Marissa Johnson (Norwell, Mass.) to earn an 8-2 win at first doubles over the Lesley pairing of senior Theresa Pereira (Hopedale, Mass.) and junior Sara Stanton (Manchester, Mass.). Nguyen cruised to a 6-2, 6-2 triumph over Lynx junior Maddie Abbott (Portland, Maine) for her second win of the afternoon. Johnson was also a double winner for the Sharks, overcoming a 6-1 first set loss to Pereira to come back with a 6-2, 6-1 finish in the final two sets, despite the sun beating down on her with 85-degree temperatures. 

Senior Paola Rios (Miami, Fla.) pocketed a pair of wins as well for Simmons, winning with fellow senior Michelle Medici (South Portland, Maine) at number two doubles over Abbott and Lesley senior Jessica Russo (Watertown, Mass.), 8-4. Rios clinched the match with the Sharks' fifth point of the dual match with a 6-1, 6-1 decision after moving up to third singles against Russo. Medici dropped just one game in a 6-1, 6-0 victory at fourth singles over Stanton to give Simmons a 4-1 lead. 

First year Sharks Sarah Mariski (Portland, Maine) and Megan McKeever (Stamford, Conn.) each registered their first respective collegiate wins at fifth and sixth singles, respectively. Mariski was outstanding in a 6-1, 6-0 effort over Lesley sophomore Mary Pulling (Whitman, Mass.), while McKeever did not drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 straight set win over first year Annie Dai (Milton, Mass.). 

The Lynx gained their lone point of the match at number three doubles with senior Sarah Tobin (Amesbury, Mass.) and Pulling outlasting the Simmons duo of sophomore Carrie St. Peter (Chester, N.H.) and first year Sabrina Brown (Mason, N.H.), 9-8, with a 9-7 win in the tie-breaker. 

The Sharks return to action on Friday, September 21 when they host Eastern Nazarene College in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference match at 4:30 p.m. on Daly Courts, while Lesley hosts University of Massachusetts Dartmouth on September 20 at 5:00 p.m.