PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The No.27 ranked Slippery Rock women's tennis team dropped its first dual match of the 2008-09 season on Saturday, falling 9-0 at Carnegie Mellon, the No.8 ranked team in Division III.

The Rock women rolled through the non-traditional fall season with an unblemished 5-0 record in dual matches and opened the spring season on Saturday with their first competition since the PSAC Individual Championships ended on Oct. 12.

The Tartans entered the match having played just one dual during the fall season, a 9-0 win over Oberlin on Oct. 11.

Carnegie Mellon took control out of the gate on Saturday, claiming all three doubles matches to take a 3-0 lead into the singles round.

At the number one doubles position, Ashley Herrick and Laura Chen teamed to defeat Kayla Blackburn and Laura Handy, 8-6. Sam Blackburn and Jessi Hilborn dropped the number two match to Kelly Hart and Amanda Wu (8-3) and Chelsea Gibson and Lara Rizzi fell 8-1 at number three against Jennifer Chui and Courtney Chin.

The Tartans continued their run through the singles round without dropping a set.

Chen defeated Kayla Blackburn (6-3, 6-0) at the number one position, with Wu earning a win over Handy (6-4, 6-3) at number two, Chin over Hilborn (6-1, 6-0) at number three, Chui over Gibson (6-1, 6-3) at number four, Cze-Ja Tam over Rizzi (6-4, 6-0) at number five and Alisa Liebowitz over Casey Runyan (6-1, 6-0) at number six.

The Rock women will host Bloomsburg next Saturday, Feb. 14, at the Oxford North Racquet Club. Start time of the match is yet to be determined.



Carnegie Mellon 9, Slippery Rock 0

Doubles
#1 Ashley Herrick/Laura Chen def. Kayla Blackburn/Laura Handy 8-6
#2 Kelly Hart/Amanda Wu def. Sam Blackburn/Jessi Hilborn 8-3
#3 Jennifer Chui/Courtney Chin def. Chelsea Gibson/Lara Rizzi 8-1

Singles
#1 Chen def. K. Blackburn 6-3, 6-0
#2 Wu def. L. Handy 6-4, 6-3
#3 Chin def. Hilborn 6-1, 6-0
#4 Chui def. Gibson 6-1, 6-3
#5 Cze- Ja Tam def. Rizzi 6-4, 6-0
#6 Alisa Liebowitz def. Casey Runyan 6-1, 6-0