BRUNSWICK, Maine – The TCNJ women's tennis team kept its streak of NCAA first-round dominance alive and well with a 4-0 sweep of Hartwick at chilly Bowdoin College on Friday afternoon.
 
Braving temperatures that barely got out of the 40s by match time, the Lions emerged victorious in an NCAA Tournament opener for the 18^th consecutive season. The blue and gold will now take their crack at host Bowdoin – ranked 8^th in Division III – in Saturday's second round.
 
DOUBLES

• Elizabeth Ring and Gabriella Robinson got the Lions off to a quick start with a 6-1 win at number three doubles
• Zoey Albert and Shruti Mannan secured the doubles point by edging Alexandra Krasinska and Phoebe Olson, 6-4, at number one with a clinching break of serve
• Aira Abalos and Claire Hardy, playing together for the first time in a dual match, trailed 4-3 on the second court

SINGLES

• Ring rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 double-bagel at No. 5
• Abalos cruised to a 6-1, 6-0 win over Olson at No. 2
• Robinson clinched it with a 6-1, 6-1 victory at No. 4
• After trailing 3-1 in the first set, Albert reeled off nine consecutive games and held a 6-3, 4-0 lead over Krasinska on the top court
• Mannan was up 6-1, 4-1 at No. 3
• Gabrielle Brideau lost the first set, 6-3, at No. 6

NOTES

• Friday's meeting was the first between TCNJ and Hartwick
• Abalos took over sole possession of ninth on the program's all-time wins list with 136 for her career
• TCNJ is 0-2 all-time against Bowdoin, the most recent meeting coming in the NCAA Tournament second round in 2011

UP NEXT

• The Lions square off with the Polar Bears for a spot in the Sweet 16. First serve is set for noon if outside, or 1 p.m. if forced to move indoors.