WEST WINDSOR, N.J. ? The Monmouth University women's tennis team fell in the first round of the NEC Championships to in-state rival, Fairleigh Dickinson, 4-0, on Friday afternoon in West Windsor, N.J. The sixth-seeded Blue and White dropped all three singles sets, and the doubles point, to the third-seeded Knights, making it the second-consecutive year the Hawks have lost to FDU in the opening round of the conference tournament.

The Knights opened up the afternoon taking the first singles point, as senior Sarah Ragan (Lanoka Harbor, N.J./Lacey Township) dropped to FDU's Korshunaova, 6-0, 6-2. Freshman Jessica Slinger (Tinton Falls, N.J./Monmouth Regional), snapping her three-match win streak, and sophomore Katie Tierney (Berkeley Heights, N.J./Governor Livingston) were each shut out 6-0, 6-0 at third and fourth singles, giving the Knights its third ? and final - singles point of the match.

Senior Kaitlin Gallagher (North Haledon, N.J./Immaculate Heart Academy), junior Diane Washer (Ogdensburg, N.J./Wallkill Valley Regional), and junior Kelly Friedrich (Brick, N.J./Brick Memorial) each had their matches halted after the Hawks dropped three-straight singles games to end singles play.

In doubles action, the senior duo of Ragan and Gallagher dropped their first doubles match, 8-2 to the Knights' Prantle and Chernyshov. FDU then shut the door, and grabbed the match doubles point, when Korshunova and J. DeCarlos blanked MU's second doubles squad of Slinger and Washer, 8-0.

The Hawks haven't won a quarterfinal match since defeating Wagner, 4-0, in the 2002 Championships. This afternoon's defeat marks the seventh straight season that Monmouth has failed to advance past the first round of NEC tournament action.

With the team loss, the Hawks move on to the consolation bracket of the NEC Championships as they will face Saint Francis (Pa.) tomorrow afternoon, with the match starting no earlier than 11:30 a.m. Monmouth will now fight for sole possession of fifth place in the NEC.