SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Sophomore Alexandra D'Ascenzo and junior Jane Stewart each won singles matches, but the women's tennis couldn't dig itself out of an early hole in a 5-2 loss Saturday against 53rd-ranked Syracuse at Drumlins Tennis Club.
 
Syracuse (4-1) started the day by winning two of three doubles matches to take an early 1-0 lead. The Big Red's No. 3 pairing of Jane Stewart and freshman Priyanka Shah easily won their match against Brenna Bachini and Nicole Mitchell, 6-1, but the Orange went on to win the deciding doubles match in a tiebreaker.
 
After Syracuse stretched its lead to 2-0 by winning the first singles match to be completed, Jane Stewart got Cornell on the board with a convincing 6-2, 6-0 decision over Mitchell at the No. 6 spot. D'Ascenzo won her match against Komal Safdar in straight sets at No. 4, but Syracuse had already clinched the match by that point.
 
The Big Red was originally scheduled to play three matches this weekend, but Sunday's matches against Fairleigh Dickinson and Lafayette at Reis Tennis Center have both been cancelled. Cornell returns to action next weekend when it hosts the ECAC Indoor Championships Friday through Sunday.
                                                                                                                                     
No. 53 SYRACUSE 5, CORNELL 2
Saturday's results; at Drumlins Tennis Club; Syracuse, N.Y.
Doubles
1. Newborn/Rodgers (S) def. L. Stewart/Tanenbaum, 6-2
2. #59 Safdar/Salazer (S) def. Cusick/D'Ascenzo, 7-6(4)
3. Shah/J. Stewart (C) def. Bachini/Mitchell, 6-1
Singles
1. Amanda Rogers (S) def. Dena Tanenbaum, 7-6(5), 7-5
2. Valeria Salazar (S) def. Lizzie Stewart, 6-1, 6-1
3. Rhiann Newborn (S) def. Marika Cusick, 4-6, 6-2, retired
4. Alexandra D'Ascenzo (C) def. Komal Safdar, 7-6(5), 6-2
5. Brenna Bachini (S) def. Priyanka Shah, 7-6(4), 6-1
6. Jane Stewart (C) def. Nicole Mitchell, 6-2, 6-0
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (2,6,3,5,4,1)
Records: Syracuse 4-1, Cornell 0-3