TRUMBULL, Conn. – In a meeting of reigning conference champions on Saturday evening at the Tennis Club of Trumbull, the NEC's LIU knocked off the MAAC's Fairfield University Women's Tennis by a score of 5-2. The Stags earned singles wins at the top two flights courtesy of Victoria Mandma and Nicolette Loeffler.
 
"For the second straight day, we played a very strong team and just came up a bit short," said Head Coach Jeff Bricker. "Our effort is there, we're just missing a little bit in terms of our execution on big points, which can happen early in the season. Overall, after an opening weekend and not being at full strength, I'm pleased with where we are."
 
LIU took the doubles point with wins at #1 and #3, with the Stags keeping its close via a win for Mandma and Sarah Liu at #2. The duo claimed a decisive 6-1 win over the LIU pairing of Ksenia Reznitskaya and Paula Guillen Cerver.
 
Mandma was also victorious in the top singles flight, picking up a 6-2, 6-3 decision over Reznitskaya. At #2 singles, Nicolette Loeffler earned a straight-set win – 6-4, 6-3 – over 2024 All-NEC First Teamer Mia Tsoukalas. However, the Sharks took the four remaining singles matches to lock up the 5-2 win.
 
Fairfield Women's Tennis returns to action on Wednesday, Jan. 29 when the Stags travel to Manchester to meet UConn. The 1 p.m. match will be the Huskies' first contest of the spring.