SALISBURY, Md. – The Salisbury University women's tennis team collected two Capital Athletic Conference wins at the chilly SU Tennis Courts on Sunday, defeating York College of Pennsylvania and Penn State University-Harrisburg, each by 9-0 scores.
Salisbury 9, York 0
The Gulls jumped out to the 3-0 lead against the Spartans (3-8, 0-3 CAC) through doubles play. Sophomore Claudia Lohn and freshman Charlotte Walker got the scoring started, with an 8-1 win at No. 2 doubles, while senior Katie Youlios and junior Natalie Savage followed with an 8-2 win at No. 1 doubles. Salisbury wrapped doubles play with an 8-4 win from senior Allison Lutz and freshman Megan Soderlund at No. 3.
Salisbury cruised through the first four matches to finish in singles play, including 6-0, 6-0 wins in three of them. Youlios was the first to finish, in shutout fashion at No. 2, while Lohn at No. 3, and Lutz at No. 5 quickly followed with 6-0, 6-0 wins. Walker won at No. 6 by a 6-2, 6-1 score to push the SU lead to 7-0.
Soderlund, playing at No. 4, dropped her first set to McKenzie Krout, despite a late push in the set, 6-4, but would rally to take the second 6-0. In the third-set match tie breaker, the Sykesville, Maryland native jumped to an early lead before Krout tied things at 6-6. It was all Soderlund from there, taking the tie breaker, 10-6.
Savage was the final match to finish, at No. 1. She grabbed the first set against Katie Wagner, 6-0, and took an early lead in the second, only to see Wagner cut into the advantage. Savage would hold on in the second set, 7-5, to close out the team match.
Salisbury 9, Penn State-Harrisburg 0
In the second match of the day, the Sea Gulls (10-4, 4-0 CAC) picked up their first point just a few minutes after the start when Harrisburg's top pair of Shawna Brandt and Jessy Miller were forced to retire after falling behind Savage and Youlios 2-0.
Walker and Lohn added another point with an 8-2 win and Lutz and Soderlund pushed the lead to 3-0 with an 8-0 win at No. 3.
The Sea Gulls rolled in singles play, allowing the Nittany Lions (2-7, 0-3 CAC) just four games in singles play. Lohn earned the win at No. 1, when Miller retired following the opening set, a 6-0 win for Lohn.
A pair of 6-0, 6-0 wins quickly followed from senior Sam Babo, at No. 5, and freshman Sage Cole, at No. 6. Soderlund allowed just one game at No. 2, picking up a 6-0, 6-1 win while junior Megan Knapp was good for a 6-0, 6-0 win at No. 4.
Lutz closed out the weekend of four CAC wins for Salisbury, earning a 6-2, 6-1 win at No. 3. In the four league victories since Friday, Salisbury totaled 36 match wins.
The Sea Gulls return to non-conference action next Saturday, April 4, when they host Washington (Md.) College at the SU Tennis Courts, in a match beginning at 11 a.m.
