COLCHESTER, Vt. – Jess Perkins and Kaitlin Hughes continued their unbeaten starts to the season but the Saint Anselm College women's tennis team was edged 6-3 by Saint Michael's College in the Northeast-10 Conference opener for both teams on Wednesday afternoon at the SMC Tennis Courts.

Box Score

Perkins and Hughes each won their second-straight singles match and paired for a second consecutive victory at No. 2 doubles for Saint Anselm (1-1, 0-1 NE-10). However, Saint Michael's (1-1, 1-0) claimed the other six matches to come away with the team win.

The Purple Knights took a 2-1 lead after doubles play after Riley Kruger and Caroline Sumner narrowly defeated freshmen Caroline Trempler and Bridget Keefe at third doubles. Perkins and Hughes provided the Hawks' point with an 8-4 victory at the second spot over Colleen O'Keefe and Amelia Weeks.

Wins from Perkins and Hughes in the first two singles matches to finish gave Saint Anselm a 3-2 lead. Perkins posted her second consecutive 6-0, 6-0 victory at No. 1 singles against Nicole Kellogg, while Hughes dropped just one game in racing past Amelia Weeks 6-0, 6-1 at No. 4 singles.

Down 3-2, Saint Michael's won the final four singles matches of the afternoon to pull out the victory. Keefe won the first set of her match against Caroline Sumner at sixth singles before Sumner rallied for a 2-6, 6-3, 10-3 win in the lone match of the day to go the distance.

Saint Anselm returns home to face Franklin Pierce in NE-10 play on Saturday, Sept. 10 in an 11 a.m. match.