ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. - The Bard College women's tennis team opened the 2016-17 season with a thrilling 5-4 victory over St. Joseph's College on Sunday afternoon.

Complete results

Bard got off to a good start, taking two of the three doubles matches, but it wasn't easy. Lily Schwartz and Harriette Slagle prevailed at No. 1, 9-7 - while Amelia Tiemann and newcomer MacKenzie Wardell prevailed at No. 2, 8-4.

In singles play, Bard managed a split to take the match, 5-4. Tiemann (No. 2), Lily Zacharias (No. 5) and Wardell (No. 6) each won in straight sets. Schwartz lost at No. 1 in three sets, and Bella Martinez lost a second set tiebreaker or she would have forced a third set.

The Raptors next host Mount St. Mary College on Wednesday at 5.