Complete Box ScoreNEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- On a chilly day in Newport News, the 37th-ranked Christopher Newport women's tennis team heated up indoors, breezing by the North Carolina Wesleyan Battling Bishops (0-1) in their season opener, 9-0. The Captains (1-0) did not drop a set to their former conference rivals while four players earned wins in both singles and doubles.
The matchup featured a pair of regionally-ranked teams opening up the 2016 spring season at Centre Court Racquet Club just off the campus of Christopher Newport University. CNU came in ranked 7th in the Atlantic South while the Bishops were ranked 9th in the preseason poll.
In doubles play, CNU picked up three wins to take a big lead early. The Captains earned 8-0 wins at No. 2 and 3 -- sophomores
Alexandra Drye and
Emily Morgan cruised over Ana Diaz and Florencia Sorrentino at No. 2, and classmates
Claire Dockrill and
Kate Huck took care of Leigh Hales and Andrea Tobar at No. 3. In the final matchup in tandem play, CNU junior
Katie Carlson paired with sophomore
McKinney Harwood for an 8-5 win at the No. 1 position, besting Stephany Barbera and Valeria Berber.
After sweeping doubles, the Captains wasted little time in clinching the match behind Harwood's win at No. 1 over Berber (6-1, 6-2) and sophomore
Meili Konell's victory at No. 4 against Sorrentino (6-4, 6-1).
Carlson was pressed in her first set against Barbera at No. 2, but pulled out a tight first set and then kept her foot on the gas in set number two for a 7-5, 6-1 win. In the remaining three matches, CNU dropped just six games. Making just her fourth career dual appearance after an injury limited her time last season, Dockrill made quick work of Hales at the No. 5 position, powering past her Bishops opponent for a 6-0, 6-0 victory. Finally,
Isabelle Wessel dropped Tobar (6-0, 6-2) at No. 6 and Huck wrapped up a two-win day with a 6-0, 6-4 victory at No. 4 against Diaz.
The Captains will return to action next Saturday, February 13 as they host the CNU Quad with Methodist University and Roanoke College coming in to play at 12:00 and 3:00 pm, respectively.
