White Sulphur Springs, W. Va.- Mason women's tennis opened the 2013 spring season yesterday against Appalachian State at the Greenbriar. The Mountaineers swept the Patriots by a final score of 7-0, winning two of the three doubles matches and sweeping the singles matches 6-0.

Masons' lone win came at the #3 doubles as the duet of Junior Ekaterina Desiatnikova and Junior Ashley Delaney defeated Appalachian State's Jessica Thaggard and Gabby Gabriel by 8-6. The Mountaineers defeated the Patriots in both the #1 and #2 matches by an 8-2 deficit.

Appalachian State earned all six points in the singles matches. Appalachian State's Ellie Linsell defeated Freshman Brittany Pilkington at the top singles position in two sets by a score of 6-3 and 6-2 respectively. In the #6 singles match Junior Ekaterina Desiatnikova dropped the first set 0-6 before battling back in the second set to fall 5-7.

The Patriots return to action Sunday, January 27 against conference rival James Madison at the Greenbriar.

Doubles

#1 Ellie Linsell/Mackenzie LaSure (APP) def. Kiersten Pappas/Brittany Pilkington (Mason), 8-2

#2 Jennifer Ansari/Clare Cox (APP) def. Maya Hicks/Erdenesuren Erdenebat (Mason), 8-2

#3 Ekaterina Desiatnikova/Ashley Delaney (Mason) def. Jessica Thaggard/Gabby Gabriel (APP), 8-6

Singles

#1 Ellie Linsell (APP) def. Brittany Pilkington (Mason), 6-3, 6-2

#2 Clare Cox (APP) def. Maya Hicks (Mason), 6-1, 6-1

#3 Jennifer Ansari (APP) def. Ashley Delaney (Mason), 6-2, 6-0

#4 Brianna Amerllino (APP) def. Kiersten Pappas (Mason), 6-0, 6-3

#5 Jessica Thaggard (APP) def. Erdenesuren Erdenebat (Mason), 6-1, 6-0

#6 Gabriela Celi (APP) def. Ekaterina Desiatnikova (Mason), 6-0, 7-5