MOUNT OLIVE, N.C.  The long-awaited start to the season for Methodist women's tennis finally hit the courts Sunday at the University of Mount Olive, where the host Division II Trojans swept a 9-0 win from the D-III Monarchs.

THE ESSENTIALS
Final score: Mount Olive def. Methodist, 9-0
Records: Methodist 0-1; Mount Olive 1-0
Location: Walker Tennis Center; Mount Olive, N.C.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Doubles action was quite competitive between the Monarchs and Trojans. Though Mount Olive would capture the opening point at No. 3 without surrendering a game, the other two matches could easily have swung in Methodist's favor.
• At 1-doubles it was Abby Caddick and Sydni Lewis doing the challenging for Methodist. The pair dropped just one service break in and eventual 6-4 loss.
• Similarly, at No. 2 the Monarchs got solid play from the experienced tandem of Jill Lawrence and Taylor Jackson who pushed their Mount Olive opponents into extra play. But like the No.1 pairing, Lawrence and Jackson were downed by a service break, 7-5.
• Mount Olive's singles bouts were stronger than the early results in doubles, as the Trojans swept all six matches without surrendering more than three games in a set.

UP NEXT
Methodist will travel to Raleigh, N.C., for its next match, a non-conference contest Wednesday afternoon against host William Peace University.