BALDWIN, N.Y. – The Goldey-Beacom College women's tennis team, fresh off its best season in the program's short five-year history, will open the 2010 campaign with a non-conference duel against Molloy College at Baldwin Park on Thurs., Sept. 2 at 3 p.m.

The Lightning, which finished 2009 with a 13-5 overall record, earned a spot in the 2009-10 NCAA East Region Tournament last Spring, falling to the host, Stonehill in the opening round.

Three GBC players garnered conference honors last season in second team pick Marina Sales and honorable mention selections Blanca Sancho and Vanessa leon Velasquez. All three return in 2010.

Kissel has also brought in three very talented recruits in Gabriela Chaves (Joao Pessoa – PB, Brazil/Colegio Motiva), Laura Cure Peters (Maracaibo, Venezuela/School Mater Salvatoris) and Marie-Louise Klein (Espergaerde, Denmark/Tibberupskolen & Espergaerde Gymnasium).

Goldey-Beacom and head coach Joe Kissel were selected second in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference coaches' poll. The two-time reigning CACC Coach of the Year guided the Lightning to their best season in the program's short five-year history last year with a 7-1 mark in CACC play. The Lightning fell to Concordia, 5-3, in the 2009 CACC Tournament championship match.

Molloy enters the 2010 season picked to finish fourth in a pre-season ballot conducted by the East Coast Conference head coaches. The Lions secured their first-ever berth in the ECC Tournament in 2009 by putting together an overall mark of 4-7.

The last time these two teams met was Oct. 9, 2008 with the Lightning coming away with a 9-0 sweep at Del Castle.