TRUMBULL, Conn.-The Fairfield University women's tennis team dropped its first conference match of the season on Thursday afternoon at the Tennis of Club of Trumbull, as the Stags fell to Sacred Heart University Pioneers, 5-2.  With the loss, Fairfield is now 3-1 in MAAC play and 5-10 overall.  With the win, SHU moves to 4-2 in conference action and evens its overall mark at 8-8.

Sacred Heart got off to a good start in Thursday's match winning the all-important double points with victories at the number one and two flights.  Fairfield's Maeve Cassidy and Sophia Harris led their match at number three doubles, 4-2, but the bout was left unfinished with the point already decided.

Both teams battled in singles play on the afternoon, as four of the six singles flights saw their match take three sets to decide a winner.

One of those three-set matches went the Stags' way, as Nicolette Loeffler posted a 6-2, 6-7, 7-5 victory at number five.

Fairfield's other singles win came off the strings of Maria Gell at number six, as she won in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3.

Victoria Mandma was tripped up at number one singles, 2-6, 6-1, 3-6, and Sarah Liu fell in the number three flight, 4-6, 7-5, 3-6.

Sophia Harris also lost in a tough, three-setter at four singles, 4-6, 7-6, 4-6.

 After a busy stretch of action that saw the squad play four matches in 10 days to open the 2026 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference schedule, the Fairfield women's tennis team will be idle for seven days until they return to the courts on Thursday, April 9 when the Stags host Marist at the Walsh Athletic Center Courts.  Action is slated to begin at 2:00 p.m.