Blue Raider women's tennis opens campaign with win

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Middle Tennessee women's tennis team opened its 2010 season with a solid 6-1 victory Wednesday against Belmont at the Nashboro Village indoor courts in Nashville, Tenn.

"It was a great win and all the girls played well," head coach Alison Ojeda said. "I think more than anything we needed a match under our belts and we got that today. Everyone competed hard for us all day. Tomorrow will be a lighter practice schedule in preparation for our two matches later this week."

The Blue Raiders began the match by sweeping the three doubles positions, including an 8-0 blanking at the No. 2 spot by Anna Djananova and Yuiri Nomoto against Abigail Hogan and Catherine Holliday.

Middle Tennessee's No. 1 doubles pairing of Marietta Bigus and Natalie Araya knocked off Abby Leatherwood and Laura Stack, 8-3. Taylor Coffey and Alex Dachos completed the sweep for the Blue Raiders, handing an 8-1 loss to Lindsay Bennett and Natalia Nunes in No. 3 doubles action.

The momentum continued in singles play with Middle Tennessee (1-0) picking up five wins in the six matches, all in straight sets.

Carla Nava, playing at No. 1, defeated Leatherwood, 6-0, 6-1, while Araya picked up a 6-3, 6-1 decision against Holiday at the No. 2 slot.

Nomoto finished off Hogan 6-1, 6-0 at the No. 4 position and Bigus earned a 6-1, 6-2 win over Bennett in No. 5 play.

Coffey completed the singles victories with a 7-5, 6-0 triumph against Nunes.

The lone Belmont (0-2) win came at No. 3 singles with Stick defeating Djananova, 6-4, 6-4.

The Blue Raiders will return to action with a pair of home matches this week, starting at 1:30 p.m. Friday against Chattanooga. Middle Tennessee will then play host to UT-Martin at 1 p.m. Saturday, instead of the previously scheduled time of 1:30 p.m.

Middle Tennessee 6, Belmont 1

Singles
No. 1 Carla Nava (MT) def. Abby Leatherwood (BEL) 6-0, 6-1
No. 2 Natalie Araya (MT) def. Catherine Holliday (BEL) 6-3, 6-1
No. 3 Laura Stack (BEL) def. Anna Djananova (MT) 6-4, 6-4
No. 4 Yuiri Nomoto (MT) def. Abigail Hogan (BEL) 6-1, 6-0
No. 5 Marietta Bigus (MT) def. Lindsay Bennett (BEL) 6-1, 6-2
No. 6 Taylor Coffey (MT) def. Natalia Nunes (BEL) 7-5, 6-0

Doubles
No. 1 Bigus/Araya (MT) def. Leatherwood/Stack (BEL) 8-3
No. 2 Djananova/Nomoto (MT) def. Hogan/Holliday (BEL) 8-0
No. 3 Coffey/Dachos (MT) def. Bennett/Nunes (BEL) 8-1

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