GORHAM, Maine -- The University of Southern Maine women's tennis team, bidding for its first conference win of the season, dropped a heartbreaker to visiting Western Connecticut State University, 5-4, Sunday at the Gorham High School Courts.

            The win snapped a two-match losing skid for the Colonials who improved to 4-2 overall and 2-1 in conference play.  The Huskies dropped their straight match to slip to 1-3 overall and 0-3 in LEC matches.

            Western Connecticut grabbed a 2-1 lead after the doubles matches.  The visitors added two points taking the top two singles matches before the Huskies took the #3 and #4 matches to close the gap to 4-3.  The Colonials clinched the match when rookie Lesley Coronel (Danbury, Conn.) won the #5 match over USM sophomore Gabby Brooks (Palmero, Maine/Messalonskee), 6-1, 6-4.  USM took the final point as sophomore Tracy Edwards (Cranston, R.I./Cranston East) defeated WCSU sophomore Gabrielle Orsini (Watertown, Conn.) at #6, 7-5, 6-2.

            Juniors Joanna Scheidegger (Lyss, Switzerland) and Margaret Smith (Farmingdale, Maine/Gardiner Area) earned three points on the day for the Huskies. The duo combined for the Huskies' lone point in doubles with an 8-2 win at #2.  Smith won her singles match at #3 over sophomore Sarah Warkoski (Bristol, Conn./Bristol Central), 6-1, 7-6 (4), and Scheidegger scored a 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 win at #4 singles over sophomore Pooja Dudhedia (Brookfield, Conn.).

            Southern Maine returns to the courts to host Husson University in a non-conference match on Wednesday (4:00 p.m.).  Western Connecticut travels to the University of Massachusetts Boston on Tuesday (3:00 p.m.) for an LEC match.

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