Providence, CT – The University of Hartford women's tennis team opened its 2009-10 season with a 7-0 loss on the road against the Providence College Friars on Wednesday afternoon.

Providence won all three doubles matches with the second and third doubles teams for the Hawks winning three sets each and the first doubles team winning two sets. Livia Blasque and Haley Gileaucombined to form Hartford's number one doubles team, dropping their first collegiate match together by a final score of 8-2 to Marisela Aviles and Ayushi Sinha.

Another rookie Amanda Epstein and the Hawks only returning player to play against Providence, Nicole Haynal, combined to compete at the second doubles position, dropping their match against Brittany Maddock and Courtney Burek by an 8-3 final. Matching that final score was the Hawks third doubles team of Kaitlin Lennon and Kiersten Cocuzza who dropped their match to Melissa Ferry and Melanie Albert.

Haynal led the Hawks in singles play, dropping her match at fourth singles to Melanie Albert by scores of 6-4, 6-3. Blasque took on Hartford's lead singles position and dropped her first collegiate single match by scores of 6-0, 6-1 to Aviles. Also competing in singles was Gileua at second singles (lost to Sinha 6-2, 6-0), Epstein at third singles (lost to Burek 6-1, 6-1), Lennon at fourth singles (lost to Ferry 6-1, 6-1) and Cocuzzo at sixth singles (lost to Jenn Cussack 6-1, 6-0).

The women's tennis team returns to action on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. at Siena College for a doubleheader with the men's team.