Husson Downs Southern Maine 7-2

            GORHAM, Maine -- Junior Katie Pratt (Rockport, Maine/Camden Hills) and freshman Meridith Blessard (Lincoln, Maine/Mattanawcook Academy) won a pivotal doubles match to help propel the Husson University Eagles to a 7-2 victory over the University of Southern Maine Huskies in non-conference women's tennis action Wednesday afternoon at the Gorham High School courts.

            The win was the second straight for the Eagles under the direction of former USM men's tennis standout Josh Warren, and improved their overall record to 7-2.  The Huskies dropped their fifth straight decision to fall to 2-8 overall.

            Pratt and Blessard picked up a 9-7 win over juniors Liz Martin (Naugatuck, Conn./Woodland Regional) and Katie Quinn (Hollis, Maine/Bonny Eagle) at first doubles to give the visitors a 2-1 lead after the three doubles matches.

            Blessard came back to defeat Quinn 8-5 in the top singles match, while Pratt took a tiebreaker to defeat Martin 7-6 (2).  The six singles matches were shortened to one set due to limited daylight.

            Southern Maine picked up points a number five singles and number two doubles.  Junior Kara Weiske (Nobleboro, Maine/Lincoln Academy) took an 8-5 win over sophomore Elizabeth Adley (Rumford, Maine/Mountain Valley) in singles.  Junior Rikki Demoranville (Madawaska, Maine) and senior co-captain Emily Estes (Gorham, Maine) won their second doubles match 8-5 over senior Sarah Smith (Calais, Maine) and freshman Charlotte Bednarz (Westport, Mass./Bishop Stang).

            Smith and Bednarz gained a measure on revenge posting singles wins over Demoranville and Estes, respectively.

            Southern Maine is back in action on Saturday (1:00 p.m.) hosting the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth for a Little East Conference match.  Husson travels to New London, N.H., to play Castleton University in a semi-final round match of the North Eastern Athletic Conference tournament.