DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA – Returning to the courts for the first time in over two weeks and for the first time away from West Haven, the New Haven women's tennis team picked up a 5-2 win over the UDC Firebirds in the first of two matches in the middle of the East Coast this weekend.

A pair of Chargers earned two victories on the day with Valentinna Ferrarini (Caxias do Sul, Brazil) and Alyssa Rodriguez (Tampa, Fla./HB Plant) each earning points at singles and doubles. Among the pair, Rodriguez's doubles victory partnered with Agustina Ravera (Miramar, Fla./Broward Virtual School) at No. 3 doubles clinched the doubles point for the Chargers. That duo would need a tiebreaker to pull the point in their favor, securing the victory with a 10-4 tiebreaker decision.

Prior to that deciding matchup, the Chargers No. 1 doubles pair of Ferrarini and Karim Carreras (Asuncion, Paraguay/Colegio Bautista de Villa Morra) opened up doubles action with a 6-2 victory over their competition.

In singles action Lucia Placidi (Melbourne, Australia/Distance Education Centre Victoria) and Rodriguez earned the first two points, Placidi on retirement of her opponent at No. 5 singles and Rodriguez earning a 6-3, 6-4 decision at No. 4 singles. With the Chargers leading the match 3-0, junior Risako Umekuni (Saitama, Japan/Shumei Eiko) clinched the victory in favor of New Haven with a pair of 7-5 decisions at No. 3 singles.

The Firebirds would respond by taking victories and No. 2 and No. 6 singles before Ferrarini closed out the match with her singles victory at No. 1 singles with scored of 6-3 and 7-5.

New Haven will conclude its two-match road trip with a Saturday afternoon matinee against the regional powerhouse of Wilmington. Opening serve against the Wildcats is set for 1:00 p.m.