RUTLAND, VT. -- The Castleton University women's tennis team dropped a 7-2 Little East Conference (LEC) contest to Western Connecticut State Saturday afternoon at the Grand Slam Tennis Center.
 
The Spartans (0-3, 0-2 LEC) fell behind after three flights of doubles as the Colonials (1-2, 1-2 LEC) grabbed a commanding 3-0 lead. Grace Sharkey and Mia Manheimer, competing at second doubles, won four games before dropping an 8-4 decision to Natalie Paradise and Julia Misner. The first and third doubles flights won a combined five games as Regina Marchese and Aliza Bogner fell 8-3 at first doubles while Camille Jackson and Karoline Rettenbacher held their own before losing 8-2 at third doubles.
 
Both Sharkey and Jackson earned three-set victories during singles play as the Spartans tried to keep the scoring close. After dropping the first set, Sharkey recovered and won the next two sets 7-6 (8-6), and 1-0 (10-6) at third singles to get the Spartans on the board. Jackson was also victorious, earning a 6-4, 6-3 straight-set win over Maria Madden at fifth singles.
 
Two other singles matches came down to a third set tiebreaker as both Marchese and Bogner lost heartbreakingly. Competing at first singles against Paradise, Marchese dropped the first set 7-5 but managed to take the second set 6-4 before falling in the third set tiebreaker 1-0 (10-3).
 
Bogner also came back from a first set deficit as she won the second set 6-1 after dropping the first set, 6-4. In a close third set tiebreaker, Bogner fell to Lesley Coronel 1-0 (10-9).
 
Castleton returns to action Saturday, April 23, as it takes on reigning Little East Conference champions Rhode Island College at the Castleton Tennis Courts with a scheduled start at 1 p.m.