HAMDEN, Conn.- The defending MAAC Champion Fairfield University women's tennis team got its 2024 fall schedule off to a busy start playing three "hidden dual" matches over the weekend at the Quinnipiac Fall Invitational taking on Army West Point on Friday, Siena on Saturday and the host Bobcats on Sunday.

The "hidden dual" format consists of a series of head-to-head matches between two teams. While the individual results of all completed matches are official, there is no team score recorded.

Head coach Jeff Bricker used the three-match, opening weekend to get his entire roster in action, as Fairfield picked up nine singles victories and posted that same wins total in doubles action; plus a pair of matches went unfinished due to weather on Saturday against Siena.

Bricker wrapped up the Fall season-opening weekend by saying, "Overall we had a very good weekend. We only got in two practices prior to playing, so we really went in with very little prep time. We came out and competed very well all three days. We have a long way to go and a lot of things to clean up, but I'm happy with the start. It was great that all of our freshmen (Dylin Pizzutello, Maria Gell and Victoria Mandma got their first collegiate wins and transfer Anna Neyestani got her first wins as a Stag after playing her freshmen year elsewhere."

In singles play, returnee Lily Malinowski and newcomer Anna Neyestani earned two wins in the three matches in Hamden; while in doubles, a trio of teams (Anna Neyestani/Meg Harding, Sarah Liu/Maria Gell and Maeve Cassidy/Nicolette Loeffler) also earned two triumphs over the competition at QU.

The Stags return to action on September 20 when they head to Philadelphia to participate in the three-day St. Joseph's Invitational.