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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The nationally-ranked CNU women's tennis team suffered its first loss of the season on Sunday, falling to NCAA Division I Norfolk State University, 9-0. The Captains were playing out of division for the first time in 2016, dropping their overall record to 5-1 while the Spartans picked up their first win and improved to 1-3. 

The Captains earned several games in each matchup, but could not capture a set against their Division I foes. In doubles play, CNU dropped 8-5 decisions at No. 2 and 3, led by a strong performance from Katie Carlson and Claire Dockrill. The CNU pair took on Mafalda Lhorca and Andrea Macchiavello before suffering the 8-5 decision at No. 2. On the third line, Kate Huck and Isabelle Wessel fell by the same score against Liza Gordeeva and Ana Popovic. 

Moving into singles play trailing 3-0, the Spartans would clinch the team victory with wins at No. 4 and 3. Dockrill fell to Gordeeva (6-1, 6-2) in the clinching match, pulling ahead 5-0. CNU's top singles effort came at No. 5, where Emily Morgan stretched Popovic to a 6-2, 7-5 final.  

Christopher Newport will now hit the road for four straight matches in California starting next week. The Captains will face La Verne on February 28 at 1:00 pm, kicking off a run against the Leopards, Chapman University, the University of Redlands, and California Lutheran University. All four opponents are nationally ranked by the ITA.