BEREA, Ky. – The UVa-Wise women's tennis team started the 2015 season with a strong 9-0 sweep of Berea College (Ky.) on the road Sunday afternoon.
 
The Cavaliers wasted no time in clinching the match in singles play as all six players won in straight sets. Following singles, the Cavs took all three doubles matches in convincing fashion.
 
Perhaps the most dominant singles victory of the day came at the No. 6 spot as senior Junetta Nuckels lost very few points in a 6-0, 6-0 win against Ashley Ferrell of Berea College.
 
Freshman Mackenzie Lawson made her collegiate tennis career debut with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Berea's Ashley Logan at No. 5 singles. Sophomores Marti Gay and Daria Tyshchenko cruised to wins at the No. 4 and No. 1 singles positions respectively before junior Bailey Christoforatos clinched the match with a 6-1, 6-0 No. 2 singles victory. Senior Haley Thacker took a 6-2, 6-3 win at the No. 3 spot as well.
 
"On a day like today where the conditions are extremely hot, I was proud of the girls for all of the hard work they put into conditioning in the pre-season", commented Head Coach Danny Rowland about his team. "We are in good shape and that really helped us during our singles matches."
 
Tyshchenko and Christoforatos teamed up at the No. 1 doubles position to claim an 8-3 win as Thacker and Gay were 8-2 winners at the second doubles spot. At No. 3 doubles it was the tandem of Lawson and Nuckels who took the match by an identical score of 8-2.
 
"We have two new doubles combinations this year at second and third doubles and I was pleased with not only the two new doubles teams, but with all three combinations today", added Rowland about today's doubles play. "We were aggressive in our doubles net play and the ladies put forth a really good effort."
 
"I was proud of the focus and the determination of all of the girls today overall", said the head coach.
 
The Cavs go right back to work tomorrow afternoon as they battle Tusculum College in the home opener of the season. The men's team will open their fall non-conference portion of the schedule tomorrow as well with both teams getting started at 2 p.m. in Wise.
 
The Tusculum women's tennis team ended last year ranked 47th in the nation according to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) and eighth in the Southeast Region, while the Tusculum men's team finished the 2014-15 season ranked 48th nationally.
 
Full Match Results:
UVa-Wise 9, Berea College (Ky.) 0
 
Singles
1. Daria Tyshchenko (WISE) def. Taylor Moyers (BERE) 6-3, 6-1
2. Bailey Christoforatos (WISE) def. Christine Crawford (BERE) 6-1, 6-0
3. Haley Thacker (WISE) def. Alicia Bedollah (BERE) 6-2, 6-3
4. Marti Gay (WISE) def. Kristol Whitt (BERE) 6-0, 6-2
5. Mackenzie Lawson (WISE) def. Ashley Logan (BERE) 6-1, 6-0
6. Junetta Nuckels (WISE) def. Ashley Ferrell (BERE) 6-0, 6-0
 
Doubles
1. Daria Tyshchenko/B. Christoforatos (WISE) def. Taylor Moyers/Kristol Whitt (BERE) 8-3
2. Haley Thacker/Marti Gay (WISE) def. Christine Crawford/Alicia Bedollah (BERE) 8-2
3. Mackenzie Lawson/Junetta Nuckels (WISE) def. Cheyenne Guin/Ashley Logan (BERE) 8-2