NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee women's tennis earned its third-straight 6-1 victory to open the 2010 campaign, as it hung the score on UT-Martin Saturday afternoon at the Nashboro Village Indoor Courts in Nashville, Tenn.

"Honestly, I could not be more excited about what has transpired this week," head coach Alison Ojeda said. "The girls are working very hard, and it shows because they are playing and competing very well. They are taking the things we are going over in practice and applying them to matches. We will take some time to enjoy these three wins but also know we have to keep working."

The Blue Raiders swept the doubles point once again, although its toughest battle Saturday came at the No. 1 spot. Natalie Araya and Marietta Bigus prevailed, however, by an 8-6 score against the Skyhawks' Belisa de Brito and Martie Wahl.

Anna Djananova and Yuiri Nomoto kept the momentum rolling with an 8-3 triumph at the No. 2 position against Alice Laing, while Taylor Coffey and Alex Dachos completed the Middle Tennessee (3-0) sweep with an 8-1 decision over Anna Marie Herbold and Johanie Van Zyl.

The Blue Raiders then claimed straight-set victories in five of the six singles matches to seal the win. Carla Nava opened play with a 6-3, 6-3 triumph against Tiley in No. 1 action, while Araya handed a 6-3, 6-1 defeat to Van Zyl during the No. 2 match.

The bottom half of the lineup was then shifted up one spot in place of Djananova, who had been playing at the No. 3 position. Despite playing one spot higher, the next three contests still turned to Middle Tennessee's favor.

Yuiri Nomoto knocked off Wahl 6-0, 6-2 at No. 3, Bigus garnered a 6-0, 6-1 triumph at No. 4 versus de Brito and Coffey registered a 6-1, 6-4 win against Herbold during the No. 5 match.

UT-Martin (4-1) picked up its lone point, as Laing rallied to knock off the Blue Raiders' Alex Dachos 1-6, 6-1, 10-7. It marked Dachos' season debut in singles action.

Middle Tennessee will now take nearly two weeks off before opening Sun Belt action in its first road match of the campaign, a 6:45 start February 19, at Arkansas State in Jonesboro, Ark.

Middle Tennessee 6, UT-Martin 1

Singles
No. 1 Carla Nava (MT) def. Jodie Tiley (UTM) 6-3, 6-3
No. 2 Natalie Araya (MT) def. Johanie Van Zyl (UTM) 6-3, 6-1
No. 3 Yuiri Nomoto (MT) def. Martie Wahl (UTM) 6-0, 6-2
No. 4 Marietta Bigus (MT) def. Belisa de Brito (UTM) 6-0, 6-1
No. 5 Taylor Coffey (MT) def. Anna Marie Herbold (UTM) 6-1, 6-4
No. 6 Alice Laing (UTM) def. Alex Dachos (MT) 1-6, 6-1, 10-7

Doubles
No. 1 Araya/Bigus (MT) def. de Brito/Wahl (UTM) 8-6
No. 2 Anna Djananova/Nomoto (MT) def. Laing/Tiley (UTM) 8-3
No. 3 Coffey/Dachos (MT) def. Herbold/Van Zyl (UTM) 8-1

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