UTICA, NY -  Playing home for the first time this season, the Utica College women's tennis team dropped a close matchup to St. John Fisher 5-4. 

Fisher topped UC in doubles play 2-1. The Pioneers lone doubles win came from Ellen Lyga (New Hartford, NY/Notre Dame) and Ellen Collie (Harbor Springs, MI) who defeated Mikayla Santulli and Kathryn Strait 8-3. Michela Marturano (Syracuse, NY) and Haley Dekin (Castorland, NY) fell 8-1 while Morgan Willis (Queensbury, NY/Queensbury) and Bianca Bockhaus (Shenorock, NY/Somers) were defeated 8-4. 

UC and Fisher were even in singles play as both teams notched three wins. For UC, Collie topped Santulli 6-0, 6-0 in first singles while Lyga answered back with a win in second singles over Strait 6-1 and 6-2. Wills joined the party by winning third singles 6-2, 6-4 over Fisher's Valerie Morgans. However, the Cardinals took the next three singles to claim their 5-4 win over UC. 

The Pioneers will be back in action on March 20 when Hartwick College and Alfred University come to UC. Match times are set for 10 a.m. against Hartwick and 4 p.m. against Alfred.