MIDDLEBURY — The Middlebury College women’s tennis team opened up its spring season with a pair of 9-0 home NESCAC victories over Hamilton and Bates on Saturday on the Proctor Tennis Courts. Middlebury, ranked No. 6 in NCAA Division III, returns to action on Saturday at home against No. 17 Wesleyan at 1 p.m.
Against Hamilton in the morning, Middlebury’s No. 2 doubles tandem of Lily Bondy and Sadie Shackelford won, 8-0; the top team of Ria Gerger and Kaysee Orozco prevailed, 8-3, in the No. 1 flight; and at No. 2, Molly Paradies and Christina Puccinelli were victorious, 8-1.
In singles, the Panthers dropped only three games during the six matches. At No. 1 Gerger won, 6-0, 6-0. Shackelford also won at No. 6, 6-0, 6-0, while Puccinelli at No. 4 prevailed, 6-1, 6-0. Bondy was a 6-0, 6-1 winner at No. 3, while Fields recorded a 6-1, 6-0 win in the second spot. Paradies completed the sweep with a 6-0, 6-0 triumph at No. 5.
Later, Saturday, in the match against Bates, the Panthers surrendered just a pair of games in the doubles wins. Bondy and Shackelford won, 8-0, at No. 2; Lauren Amos and Fields posted an 8-1 victory at No. 3; and Gerger and Orozco were 8-1 victors in the top flight.
Middlebury recorded straight-set wins in each of the individual matches. Amos was victorious at No. 5 (6-2, 6-3); Orozco won, 6-0, 6-1, at No. 6; Paradies won, 6-1, 6-2, at No. 4; Puccinelli prevailed, 6-3, 6-1, in the third spot; Gerger rolled, 6-2, 6-0, at No. 1; and Fields completed the Panthers’ perfect day, 6-3, 6-1, in the second slot.