ITHACA, N.Y. – Needing to win both singles matches that went into a third set, the Big Red came up just short Saturday in a 4-3 loss to Rutgers at Reis Tennis Center.
 
After Rutgers (5-3) started the day by sweeping doubles, Cornell (2-3) fell into a 2-0 hole with visitors claiming a quick victory at No. 6 singles. Freshman Alexandra D'Ascenzo got the Big Red on the board with a 6-2, 6-3 win at the No. 3 spot, but the Scarlet Knights answered with another straight-set win at No. 5.
 
The Big Red stayed alive with freshman Marika Cusick's win at No. 2. She outlasted her opponent in a first-set tiebreaker, then dropped just one game in the second set. That made the score 3-2 with two matches remaining – both going into a third set. Junior Lauren Frazier won her match at No. 4 in a third-set tiebreaker, but Rutgers was able to survive the other match to secure its sixth victory in 13 all-time meetings with Cornell.
 
The weekend continues with a doubleheader Sunday. The Big Red takes on Fairleigh Dickinson at 10 a.m., then plays host to Lafayette at 3:30 p.m. at Reis Tennis Center.
 
RUTGERS 4, CORNELL 3
Saturday's results; at Reis Tennis Center; Ithaca, N.Y.
Doubles
1. Lindsey Kayati/Vanessa Petrini (R) def. Marika Cusick/Alexandra D'Ascenzo, 8-3
2. Lindsay Balsamo/Mariam Zein (R) def. Lauren Frazier/Dena Tanenbaum, 8-7(1)
3. Stefania Balasa/Gina Li (R) def. Shannon Comolli/Christy Kung, 8-5
Singles
1. Petrini (R) def. Tanenbaum, 6-2, 6-7(7), 6-4
2. Cusick (C) def. Li, 7-6(3), 6-1
3. D'Ascenzo (C) def. Kayati, 6-2, 6-3
4. Frazier (C) def. Zein, 4-6, 6-2, 6-5(6)
5. Balasa (R) def. Comolli, 6-1, 6-4
6. Balsamo (R) def. Kung, 6-1, 6-1
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2), Singles (6,3,5,2,1,4)
Records: Cornell 2-3, Rutgers 5-3