Complete Results

CULLOWHEE, N.C. - The Western Carolina women's tennis team returned to the win column in impressive fashion with a 7-0 sweep of visiting Lenoir-Rhyne University. The victory is the fifth for the Catamounts this season which is the most since WCU won five matches in 2009. The 7-0 sweep was the third shutout win of the season for the Catamounts which is the most for the program since 2001 when WCU had three shutouts as well.

The Catamounts were able to win all three doubles matches to gain the doubles point. Senior Megan McLinden and junior Nicole Nielly were the first to take home a victory as they won at No. 1 doubles over Zorica Djuric and Dominique Bruce, 8-2. Junior Erin Maguire and freshman Montse Mesalles clinched the point as they won at No. 3 over Jessica Rumple and Lucy Stofberg, 8-3.

The final doubles match to complete was No. 2 as junior Shannon Bettiol and freshman Elizabeth Ansari downed Lela Sparks Thompson and Taylor Snowdon, 8-5.

Mesalles made quick work of her No. 6 singles opponent, Meaghan Liner, to give WCu an early 2-0 lead as she swept 6-0, 6-0. The win was Mesalles' fifth of the season and second at No. 6.

McLinden was cruising in her singles match when her opponent, Djuric, was forced to retire due to injury. McLinden has won the first set 6-0 and was leading in set number two 3-0 when Djuric bowed out. The win is McLinden's 11th of the year and ninth at No. 1. She has now increased her win total from last season by four despite playing most of the 2014 season at the No. 3 position.

Maguire clinched the victory for the Catamounts at No. 5 as she dropped just one game to her opponent, Amanda Bryan, 6-1, 6-0. The victory was Maguire's ninth of the year.

Ansari played her first full singles match since early February after an injury sidelined her for most of the year. She returned to top form winning 6-3, 6-1 at No. 4 over Maggie Brown. Bettiol continued the sweep at No. 2 taking down Bruce 6-4, 6-0.

The last match to complete was the most competitive of the day as Nielly battled Thompson at No. 3. Thompson took the first set 6-4 before Nielly battled back to win the second set 6-3 and force a third set 10-point tiebreaker. Nielly cruised in the tiebreaker winning in dominating fashion, 10-3. Nielly has had the biggest turnaround on the court for the Catamounts since last season as she has increased her win total by eight even though she moved from No. 5 singles to No. 3 this season.

WCU has two matches remaining on its regular season schedule. The Catamounts will host Southern Conference foe UNCG on Friday at 2 pm before hosting King on Saturday at 2.