Piscataway, N.J. - The St. Johns University womens tennis team lost its BIG EAST opener against the Scarlet Knights, 0-7. This was their first match of the spring season, and despite the score, the Red Storm made a great showing.

At No. 5 singles, sophomore Olga Romanidis (Kew Gardens, N.Y.) played an outstanding game while coming back from a severely fractured back. She played very hard, but was defeated by Helen Magomedoya, 2-6, 5-7.

Freshman Tessa Lewis (Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada) took the first set against Rutgers Andrea Weckstein, 6-2. Weckestein rebounded to take the next two games, 6-2,6-2.

At No. 1 singles, Nataliya Kostova (Bulgaria) lost a hard match against Rutgers Carissa Sommerad, 0-6, 2-6. At No. 2 singles Vera Efstathiou (Whitestone, N.Y.) was defeated by Jennifer Hellier, 3-6, 1-6. At No. 4 singles, senior Corina Cetateanu (Forest Hills, N.Y.) lost to Amanda Travlos, 1-6, 0-6. At. No. 6 singles, freshman Jennifer Liantonio (West Hempstead, N.Y.) lost against Kathy Link, 1-6, 0-6.

In doubles action, Cetateanu and Efstathiou lost a challenging match against Rutgers Hellier and Link, 4-8. Lewis and Kostova fell 3-8 to Sommerad and Travlos. At No. 3 doubles Liannntonio and Romanidis were defeated by Weckstein and Foster, 0-8.

St. Johns returns to action on February 27, 2002 at Alley Pond Tennis Complex at 2:00pm, when they take on Iona.