BOSTON  – For the first time in three seasons, the Suffolk women's tennis team started the year in the win column as every match counted in the Rams 5-4 victory over the Bears of Bridgewater State Thursday night at Buckingham, Browne & Nichols. 

Bridgewater (0-1) got on the board first thanks to the doubles tandem of Rebecca Zeuschner and Alison Vautrin, who cruised past the Suffolk (1-0) partnership of senior Lyndsay Reese and sophomore Jacquelyn Nakamura on the third court. The Rams' top tandem of Aidiana Sagyndykova and Valentina Medina leveled the playing field with a decisive triumph over Hayley Anderson and Alisha Silva. The team that would head into singles action one-point up was decided in a tiebreaker with Suffolk's Rebecca Eshoo and senior Abby Trigilio prevailing over Alison Scagnelli and Bojana Roman, 8-7 (15-13). 

In her first collegiate match, Media made her racquet known as the sophomore cruised past Silva in the second slot to give the Rams a 3-1 cushion. Sagyndyova quickly followed suit as the junior ace took down Vautrin, 6-3, 6-0. 

Just one point from securing the victory the Bears put a halt to Suffolk's winning ways as they tallied wins on the fifth, sixth and third court. Sophomore Isabel Rathlev fell to Scagnelli, 6-1, 6-2, at No. 5, while freshman Meagan French dropped a 6-0, 6-1 decision to Roman in the sixth spot. On the third singles court, Eshoo suffered a 7-6(7-3), 6-1, setback to Anderson, which even the match at 4-all. 

All eyes fell on the fourth court where Trigilio faced Zeuschner. Trigilio took the first set, 7-6(7-4), but was swept in the second, 6-0, to push things the distance. With the match-deciding set tied at 2-2, Zeuschner had to medically retire giving Suffolk the win, 5-4. 

Suffolk returns to action Saturday afternoon when it entertains Lesley at BB&N at 1 p.m.