CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Sweeps all around propelled the Western Carolina women's tennis team to a 7-0 win over visiting Longwood Friday afternoon at the Catamount Athletic Complex.
 
The Catamounts (4-2) won for the fourth time in their past five matches against a Longwood squad playing its third straight game on the road. The win came in the home opener for Western Carolina, which deployed a singles rotation included four total seniors, including in each of the top three slots.
 
Lancer freshman and No. 3 singles standout Isis Gill put up Longwood's biggest fight, taking Catamount senior Shannon Bettiol three sets in her third collegiate match. Bettiol eventually edged the Lancer newcomer 7-5, 6-7 (5-7) and 10-2.
 
Longwood junior Mason Thomas also grinded through a three-set loss, falling 1-6, 6-2, 11-9 to Western Carolina's Elizabeth Ansari.
 
Longwood will head to Asheville, N.C., to open Big South play against UNC Asheville Sunday at 2 p.m. The match will mark the second straight weekend the Lancers play on back-to-back days on the road.
 
Western Carolina 7, Longwood 0
Feb 12, 2016
Cullowhee, N.C. (Catamount Athletic Complex)
 
Singles competition
1. Stacia Kissell (WCU) def. Fallon Burger (LWU) 6-0, 7-5
2. Megan McLinden (WCU) def. Anna Pelak (LWU) 6-3, 7-6 (7-5)
3. Shannon Bettiol (WCU) def. Isis Gill (LWU) 7-5, 6-7 (5-7), 10-2
4. Savannah Taranto (WCU) def. Paloma Alatorre (LWU) 6-3, 6-3
5. Elizabeth Ansari (WCU) def. Mason Thomas (LWU) 1-6, 6-2, 11-9
6. Erin Maguire (WCU) def. Maria Coronel (LWU) 6-3, 6-4
 
Doubles competition
1. Stacia Kissell/Shannon Bettiol (WCU) def. Fallon Burger/Isis Gill (LWU) 6-1
2. Megan McLinden/Savannah Taranto (WCU) vs. Anna Pelak/Mason Thomas (LWU) 5-4, unfinished
3. Nicole Nielly/Gaby Hurt (WCU) def. Paloma Alatorre/Maria Coronel (LWU) 6-3
 
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (4,1,5,2,6,3)
 
#GoWood