NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Methodist University clinched the USA South outright regular-season women's tennis championship Saturday with a 9-0 victory at Christopher Newport.

With temperatures under 50 degrees, the Captains held occasional leads in several matches, but the defending champion Monarchs (19-1, 8-0) showed why they have been virtually invincible so far this season, rarely making unforced errors at key stages in the match.

CNU, hoping for an upset to force a three-way tie for the championship, finished its conference play with a 6-2 record. The Captains, 12-4 overall, will complete their regular season with Sunday's match against Goucher in Baltimore.

After that, they'll go to the USA South conference tournament in Burlington, N.C., where they'll be the No. 3 seed and play a Friday match against the sixth seed.

A victory would put CNU into Saturday's semifinals at the Burlington Tennis Center -- almost certainly against No. 2 Meredith, which edged the Captains 5-4 this week in Raleigh, N.C.

In doubles, CNU's Jodi Noland and Melisande Downs led 3-1 early before falling 8-4 at No. 3. Sarah Stafford and Marion Gloor dropped an 8-5 decision at No. 1 to Kaitlin Flaherty and Katherine Meindl.

In singles, the Monarchs won the Nos. 4-6 matches fairly quickly to go ahead 6-0. Gloor led 4-1 in the second set but lost the last five games to Meindl, and Stafford dropped a 3-6, 6-0, 6-1 decision to Flaherty, who hardly missed a shot after the first set.

No. 3 Kim Morrissett, CNU's last player on the court, bounced back to win the second set but fell 10-6 in a match tiebreaker to Rachel Purser, perhaps Methodist's hardest-hitting player.

METHODIST 9, CNU 0
Doubles:
1. Kaitlin Flaherty-Katherine Meindl d. Sarah Stafford-Marion Gloor 8-5;
2. Rachel Purser-Dana Powell d. Kim Morrissett-Lauren Kelly 8-2;
3. Laura Baker-Stacey Brooks d. Jodi Noland-Melisande Downs 8-4.

Singles:
1. Flaherty d. Stafford 3-6, 6-0, 6-1;
2. Meindl d. Gloor 6-3, 6-4;
3. Purser d. Morrissett 7-5, 4-6, 1-0 (10-6);
4. Baker d. Noland 6-0, 6-2;
5. Powell d. Downs 6-1, 6-1;
6. Kelli Shelton d. Kelly 6-4, 6-0.

Records:
Methodist 19-1, 8-0 USA South;
CNU 12-4, 6-2