HOOKSETT, N.H. – The Saint Anselm College women's tennis team won its first two individual matches of the 2021 season on Thursday, but ultimately dropped a 5-2 decision to Bentley on the campus of Southern New Hampshire University.

Saint Anselm falls to 0-3 overall and within the league while Bentley, making its season debut, moves to 1-0 overall (1-0 NE10). The Hawks host Franklin Pierce on Sunday, Mar. 28 at 12 p.m. on campus.

Junior Josie Hulbert (Loudonville, N.Y.) and sophomore Anastasia Kapothanasis (Westbrook, Maine) started the day off with a convincing 6-1 win at No. 3 doubles, but Bentley rebounded to take the early point with wins at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles.

Bentley clinched the match victory with four consecutive singles wins, but the Hawks were able to claim wins at No. 2 and No. 4 singles, the first two match wins for Saint Anselm in 2021.

Senior Dominique Bolduc (Manchester, N.H.) won her first set after a tiebreaker, 7-6, and followed up with a 6-2 result. Kapothanasis rallied from a set down to claim her No. 2 singles match in a third-set tiebreaker.