FAIRFIELD, CONN. - The LIU Brooklyn women's tennis team improved to 8-2 overall, and a perfect 2-0 in Northeast Conference play Tuesday afternoon, when the Blackbirds beat Sacred Heart, 6-1. LIU won the doubles point and five of the six singles matches to take the win.

In doubles, sophomore Sanne Louwers and senior Taysha Blessington continued their dominance in the No.1 doubles spot, as they beat Gabi Kaldan and Nicole Rydzewski, 8-1. And senior Aleksandra Pavlovic and sophomore Katya Yegoreychenko clinched the point with an 8-2 win over Katie DiRienzo and Lindsey Post. LIU defaulted in the No.3 spot, giving Sacred Heart the win there.

Singles saw LIU win five of the six matches. Blessington had the fastest win of the day, beating DeRienzo in the No.2 spot, 6-1, 6-2. Louwers also had a straight set win in the No.1 spot, beating Kaldan, 6-4, 7-6. And Nancy Zonneveld had a straight set win at No.6, 7-5, 6-3. Junior Lisa Maas and Pavlovic both rallied back from first set losses to take their wins in three sets. Maas beat Post at No.4, 3-6, 6-2, 10-3, while Pavlovic won at No.5 over Paide Olson, 3-6, 6-0, 6-0. 

LIU's lone loss came at No.3, where Rydzewski beat Yegoreychenko in a third set tiebreaker, 7-5, 4-6, 10-7.

Up next for the Blackbirds is a match with NEC rival St. Francis Brooklyn, Thursday, April 11 at 3 p.m. The Blackbirds will play host at the Billie Jean King Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y. 

LIU Brookyln 6, Sacred Heart 1

Doubles
1. Sanne Louwers/Taysha Blessington (LIU) def. Gabi Kaldan/Nicole Rydzewski (SHU), 8-1
2. Aleksandra Pavlovic/Katya Yegoreychenko (LIU) def. Katie DeRienzo/Lindsey Post (SHU), 8-2
3. SHU wins by default.

Singles
1. Louwers (LIU) def. Kaldan (SHU), 6-4, 7-6
2. Blessington (LIU) def. DeRienzo (SHU), 6-1, 6-2
3. Rydzewski (SHU) def. Yegoreychenko (LIU), 7-5, 4-6, 10-7
4. Lisa Maas (LIU) def. Post (SHU), 3-6, 6-2, 10-3
5. Pavlovic (LIU) def. Paige Olson (SHU), 3-6, 6-0, 6-0
6. Nancy Zonneveld (LIU) def. Alyssa Migliorini (SHU), 7-5  6-3