PIKEVILLE, Ky. – Four days after registering its first Mid-South Conference win, the University of Pikeville women's tennis team ran into a tough test, losing 7-0 to conference foe Cumberlands (Ky.) on Saturday at Bob Amos Park.

With the loss, the Bears drop to 1-2 overall and 1-1 in MSC play, while the Patriots push up to 4-3 overall and a perfect 2-0 in league play.

Cumberlands opened the day grabbing a 2-0 lead with two quick doubles wins. The top-seeded duo of Neesha Thirumalaichelvam and Erin Hart topped UPIKE's Mounia Sami and Thais Bezerra 8-2, while Chanel Williams and Sydni Grimes beat Shae Criswell and Kennedy King 8-0 at No. 2.

The success continued for the Patriots in singles play, winning all five matches in straight sets. No. 1 Thirumalaichelvam got them started with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Sami and Williams was a 6-1, 6-1 winner over Bezerra at No. 2.

UPIKE's King registered a game in a 6-0, 6-1 loss to Hart at No. 4 and Michaela Hyden also avoided being blanked with a 6-1, 6-0 loss to Lyndsay Collett  at the sixth seed.

The Bears are back in action at 2 p.m. ET on March 24 at Lindsey Wilson in Columbia, Ky.

 

Cumberlands (Ky.) 7, UPIKE 0

March 15, 2014 at Bob Amos Park (Pikeville, Ky.)

 
Singles
1. Neesha Thirumalaichelvam (UC) def. Mounia Sami (UPIKE) 6-2, 6-0
2. Chanel Williams (UC) def. Thais Bezerra (UPIKE) 6-1, 6-1
3. Sydni Grimes (UC) def. Shae Criswell (UPIKE) 6-0, 6-0
4. Erin Hart (UC) def. Kennedy King (UPIKE) 6-0, 6-1
5. Lyndsay Collett (UC) def. Michaela Hyden (UPIKE) 6-1, 6-0

 
Doubles
1.  Thirumalaichelvam /Hart (UC) def. Sami/Bezerra (UPIKE) 8-2
2. Williams/Grimes (UC) def. Criswell/King (UPIKE) 8-0

 
Match Notes
Pikeville 1-2, 1-1 MSC; National Ranking: UR
Cumberlands 4-3, 2-0 MSC; National Ranking: UR