BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University women's tennis team opened the 2014 season with an exciting 5-4 victory over visiting Gordon College on Thursday afternoon at the Rosen Memorial Tennis Courts in Bridgewater.

Trailing after doubles play, the Bears won four of the six singles flights, capped off by a match deciding victory by freshman Alisha Silva (East Taunton, Mass.) at number three, to secure the 5-4 decision.

Spurred on by the doubles tandems of junior Tawnie Yeaw (Foothill Ranch, Calif.) and freshman Sophie Linnell (Richmond, Va.) at the first flight and sophomore Abby Caron (Bedford, N.H.) and freshman Alexa Didomizio (Mahwah, N.J.) at number three, the visiting Fighting Scots took the early 2-1 lead.  Senior Rachael Eramo (Rowley, Mass.) and junior Alison Vautrin (Somerset, Mass.) picked up the lone doubles point for the Bears with a 9-7 decision at the second flight.

Linnell increased Gordon's advantage to 3-1 with a 6-0, 6-0 straight set win at second singles.  However, straight set wins by senior Melissa Flynn (Stoneham, Mass.) at number four (6-4, 6-0), Eramo at the fifth flight (6-3, 6-3) and junior Shannon Beloin (Forestdale, Mass.) at number six (7-5, 6-0) put the Bears out in front, 4-3.

Yeaw evened the score at 4-4 with a 7-6, 6-1 decision at the top spot with the first set being decided in a tie-breaker.

That would set the stage for Silva who battled back from a set down to post a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 win at third singles to give the Bears the match victory.

Both teams return to the court next Tuesday afternoon.  Bridgewater (1-0) entertains non-conference foe Suffolk University at 3:30, while Gordon (0-2) hosts Commonwealth Coast Conference rival Salve Regina University at four.