FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.  Methodist split the singles matches Saturday in a home women's tennis match against Piedmont College, but a sweep of the preceding doubles matches propelled the visiting Lions to a 6-3 non-conference win at the Clayton Tennis Center.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Piedmont def. Methodist, 6-3
Records: Methodist 3-4, Piedmont 4-4
Location: Clayton Tennis Center; Fayetteville, N.C.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Needing to recover from a 3-0 Piedmont lead following the doubles bouts, Methodist tried to respond in singles action, getting wins from Toni Laney, Jill Lawrence and Megan Kidd.
• Lawrence's match at No. 3 was the first to finish, cutting into the deficit with a strong 6-1, 6-1 outing against Maggie Moody.
• Wins at Nos. 1 and 5, though, earned the fourth and clinching fifth point for Piedmont before the Monarchs could complete rallies on the other courts.
• Still, Methodist fought back. Laney dropped her first set, 6-3, to Megan Waldheim at 2-singles, but pounded out a 6-1 win in the second to square the match, then ended it with a 7-5 win in the third set.
• At No. 4, Kidd also lost her opening set, 7-6(4), but roared back against Kara Landsiedel with 6-2, 6-2 wins in the second and third sets.

UP NEXT
The Division III Monarch women will step up a division in their next match to play visiting D-II Barton College on Wednesday at 1 p.m.