SAGE WOMEN'S TENNIS SPOILS PURCHASE'S PERFECT SEASON WITH KEY WIN

Troy, NY----The Sage Colleges women's tennis team hosted the Panthers of Purchase College on Wednesday afternoon in a key Skyline Conference match at the Capital City Indoor Complex. Sage would come away with the 5-4 win to improve to 3-1 overall and 2-0 in the Skyline Conference, while the loss was the first of the year for the Panthers of Purchase College, which drops to 4-1 and 0-1 in the Skyline.

Leading the way for the Gators on Wednesday was senior Christina Gray (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) as she posted the 10-0 win over junior Erin Higgins (Glen Falls, NY/Glen Falls). The victory marks the 14th straight singles win for Gray which dates back to September of 2008. She teamed at first doubles with sophomore Erica Fitzgerald (Queensbury, NY/Queensbury) for an 8-1 win as the Gator tandem beat Higgins and junior Colline Laninga (Hunter, NY/HTC). Fitzgerald was a winner at second singles as she beat senior Inna Karaseva (Brooklyn, NY/Midwood) 10-1.

Sage's junior team captain Kathryn Saulsbury (Colonie, NY/Colonie Central) added a 10-7 win over Laninga at third singles, while sophomore Briana Bixler (Highland, NY/Highland) added the decisive fifth point for the Gators with her 10-6 win over senior Tova Hadar (Woodbury, NY/Syosset) at fifth singles. Bixler is also undefeated in singles play this fall as she is now 4-0 after Wednesday's key win.

For the Panthers, sophomore Alyson Lopez (Brooklyn, NY/Edward R. Murrow) was a double winner with a win at sixth singles and third doubles.

Sage returns to action on Saturday, September 19 hosting Farmingdale State College in a Skyline Conference match at Prospect Park at 1 p.m., while Purchase College travels to St. Joseph's (Brooklyn) for a non-conference match on September 18 at 4:00 p.m.

Sage College 5, PURCHASE PANTHERS 4

Singles competition

1. Christina Gray (SAGE) def. Higgins, Erin (PUR-WTN) 10-0

2. Erica Fitzgerald (SAGE) def. Karaseva, Inna (PUR-WTN) 10-1

3. Kathryn Saulsbery (SAGE) def. Laninga, Colline (PUR-WTN) 10-7

4. de Muns, Tatyana (PUR-WTN) def. Ashley Brennan (SAGE) 10-8

5. Briana Bixler (SAGE) def. Hadar, Tova (PUR-WTN) 10-6

6. Lopez, Alyson (PUR-WTN) def. Megan Holmes (SAGE) 10-4

Doubles competition

1. Christina Gray/Erica Fitzgerald (SAGE) def. Laninga, Colline/Higgins, Erin (PUR-WTN) 8-1

2. de Muns, Tatyana/Karaseva, Inna (PUR-WTN) def. Kathryn Saulsbery/Megan Holmes (SAGE) 8-5

3. Hadar, Tova/Lopez, Alyson (PUR-WTN) def. Briana Bixler/Ashley Brennan (SAGE) 8-2