Paulina Delgado, Maite Belloso and Mariana Gamboa Hernandez dropped only a combined two games in singles play as University of Mount Olive defeated Meredith College 9-0 in non-conference women's tennis Thursday at Walker Tennis Center. The match, postponed from Tuesday due to weather, was the season opener for both teams.
Mount Olive (1-0) swept doubles play to take a 3-0 lead and move within two singles matches of clinching the overall team victory. Delgado won 6-0, 6-1 at No. 4 singles, Belloso won 6-0, 6-0 at No. 5 singles and Hernandez posted a 6-1, 6-0 win at No. 6 singles to seal the team win. Francesca Ceppi (No. 1 singles), Roxanne Chouinard (No. 2 singles) and Alejandra Hernandez (No. 3 singles) also won in straight sets.
Ceppi and Chouinard posted an 8-0 shutout at No. 1 doubles, Belloso and Alejandra Hernandez won 8-4 at No. 2 doubles and Delgado and Jennifer Byrd combined for an 8-2 win at No. 3 doubles. Delgado and Byrd fell behind early before storming back. Byrd, a freshman, served an ace on match point.
"I was nervous at first, but it felt good to get a win," said Byrd. "Even when we were behind, Paulina and I did a good job of talking to each other and keeping ourselves positive."
The Trojan women's and men's tennis teams head to Buies Creek, N.C., Friday to take on Division I Campbell in non-conference action. Match time is 2 p.m.
Mount Olive 9, Meredith 0
Singles
1. Francesca Ceppi (UMO) def. Ran Zhang (MER) 6-3, 6-0
2. Roxanne Chouinard (UMO) def. Catherine Bryant (MER) 7-6, 6-3
3. Alejandra Hernandez (UMO) def. Caroline Hunt (MER) 6-4, 6-2
4. Paulina Delgado (UMO) def. Mack Thompson (MER) 6-0, 6-1
5. Maite Belloso (UMO) def. Mary Katherine Fagan (MER) 6-0, 6-0
6. Mariana Hernandez (UMO) def. Sarah DuBose (MER) 6-1, 6-0
Doubles
1. Francesca Ceppi/Roxanne Chouinard (UMO) def. Catherine Bryant/Caroline Hunt (MER) 8-0
2. Alejandra Hernandez/Maite Belloso (UMO) def. Ran Zhang/Mack Thompson (MER) 8-4
3. Paulina Delgado/Jennifer Byrd (UMO) def. Mary Katherine Fagan/Jacqueline Benton (MER) 8-2