Pomfret, Conn. (Sept. 4) -- The Assumption College women's tennis team opened the 2014 season with a narrow 5-4 loss to Nichols College on Thursday in Pomfret, Conn. The Hounds, led by freshman Cassie Burbine (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry) playing No. 2 singles, took four singles sets in the match.

Burbine claimed the victory in the No. 2 singles 6-1, 6-1 while sophomore Hannah Riley (Ellington, Conn./Ellington) finished No. 3 singles 6-4, 6-2. In the No. 5 match, freshman Maggie Holland (Newburyport, Mass./St. Thomas Aquinas) topped Nichols' Ashley Dallaire 7-5, 7-5 and junior Aubrey Lovejoy (Holden, Mass./ Wachusett Regional) swept the No. 6 singles match 6-1, 6-1. 

Freshman Aida Vila (Girona, Spain / La Salle Girona), who played No. 1 singles for the Hounds in her inaugural match, battled it out with Nichols' Alana Judd. She took the first set 6-2, dropped the second 6-2 and ultimately fell 7-5 in the third. In the No. 4 singles match, junior Marie Black (Palmyra, N.Y./Palmyra-Macedon) dropped the first set in a 7-4 tie-breaker, followed by a 4-6 loss in the second.

Assumption dropped all three doubles matches on the day.

The Hounds are set to return to action on Tuesday, Sept. 9 as they host their first match of the season against Northeast-10 Conference foe Stonehill. The match will be held at Wachusett Regional High School.

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