UTICA, NY - The Utica University women's tennis team fell at home in its season opener to Russell Sage College, 5-4, on Wednesday afternoon. 

The Pioneers took the first two doubles matches with an 8-6 win in first doubles by Ellen Lyga (New Hartford, NY/Notre Dame) and Paetra Heeren (Warwick, NY/Warwick Valley) and an 8-4 win in second doubles by Selma Dizdarevic (Utica, NY/Proctor ) and Madison Brand (Little Falls, NY/Little Falls). Sage took third doubles, 8-6. 

Sage went in to win singles one through four while Jackie Roberts (Herkimer, NY/Notre Dame) won fifth singles 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 and Emily DePasquale (Holland Patent, NY/Holland Patent) took sixth singles 7-5, 3-6, 6-4. 

Utica (0-1, 0-0 Empire 8) will travel to Medaille University at noon on Saturday for its first Empire 8 competition of the season.