POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – While the State University of New York at New Paltz women's tennis team (7-2, 3-0 SUNYAC) lost, 8-1, in non-conference action to cross-river rival Vassar College (1-0, 0-0 Liberty) Wednesday evening in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., the Hawks gained experience against a quality opponent in their final tune-up before the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Championships this weekend in Manlius, N.Y.

The match, which was originally supposed to be held on New Paltz's campus, was moved to Vassar due to weather-related concerns. It was contested in Vassar's indoor tennis facility at a later time of 8 p.m. rather than the original time of 4 p.m.

The blue and orange struggled in doubles, as Vassar's top tandem of Jennifer Beckerman and Nicole Block blanked New Paltz's No. 1 team of sophomores Montana Wilson (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) and Kayla DiPaulo (Liverpool, N.Y.), 8-0. Jen Ruther and Lindsay Kantor took down sophomore Alli Esposito (Bellmore, N.Y.) and freshman Paige Munroe (Ann Arbor, Mich.), 8-2, at flight two, while Caroline Dunn-Rankin and Melanie Horn knocked off senior Lindsey Garyn (Melville, N.Y.) and junior Juliette Brandon (Bronx, N.Y.) at No. 3, 8-3.

New Paltz put up a bigger fight at singles, stretching the total elapsed time of the match to nearly four hours.

DiPaulo, who moves to 12-2 overall on the year and 3-0 at No. 3, upset Ruther at flight three, giving the Hawks their lone point against the Brewers. She won, 6-0, 6-4.

Wilson battled with Beckerman at flight one singles, but Beckerman wound up prevailing, 6-4, 6-1. Block downed Garyn, 6-3, 6-1, at No. 2, Kantor felled Esposito, 6-2, 6-0, at No. 4 and Dunn-Rankin dropped Munroe, 6-4, 6-3, at No. 5. Brandon played Horn to a tiebreak at No. 6, but Vassar wound up taking the point, 4-6, 6-3, (10-6).

New Paltz looks to dethrone SUNY Geneseo this weekend, as it competes in the SUNYAC Championships at the Eastside Racquet Club in Manlius, N.Y. The event runs from Friday, Oct. 8, through Sunday, Oct. 10.

Doubles:

1. Jennifer Beckerman/ Nicole Block (VC) def. Montana Wilson/Kayla DiPaulo (NP), 8-0
2. Jen Ruther/ Lindsay Kantor (VC) def. Alli Esposito/Paige Munroe (NP), 8-2
3. Caroline Dunn-Rankin/ Melanie Horn (VC) def. Lindsey Garyn/Juliette Brandon (NP), 8-3

Singles:

1. Jennifer Beckerman (VC) def. Montana Wilson (NP), 6-4, 6-1
2. Nicole Block (VC) def Lindsey Garyn (NP), 6-3, 6-1
3. Kayla DiPaulo (NP) def. Jennifer Ruther (VC), 6-0, 6-4
4. Lindsay Kantor (VC) def. Alli Esposito (NP), 6-2, 6-0
5. Caroline Dunn-Rankin (VC) def. Paige Munroe (NP), 6-4, 6-3 [Clinched]
6. Melanie Horn (VC) def. Juliette Brandon (NP), 4-6, 6-3, (10-6)