Saari continues to dominate, tennis splits league opener

Rocky Mount, NC - Freshman Antti Saari continued to dominate #1 singles and doubles play this week, leading his men's tennis team of North Carolina Wesleyan to a 6-3 win over Virginia Wesleyan on Wednesday and a 9-0 sweep of Shenandoah in Thursday's USA South opener. Saari (pictured) did not surrender a game in singles play and remains perfect on the season at 6-0. Wesleyan's men are now 4-3 overall, 1-0 in league play. The women, who dropped 9-0 and 8-1 matches to the Marlins and Hornets, respectively, are now 0-8 overall, 0-1 in conference action.

The Bishop men began play on Wednesday by taking two of three doubles matches from VWC. Saari and Brandon Coleman were 8-2 winners at the top slot, while Matt Smith and Mike Harrison were 8-6 winners at #3.

Wesleyan went on to earns wins at 1-4 in singles play.  Smith's straight-set win over Lee Cebula at #4 sealed the 6-3 win for the Bishops.

In Thursday's league opener, Wesleyan carried the momentum of a 3-0 doubles sweep to a 9-0 win over Shenandoah. The win was the third straight for the men.

The women, however, did not fair as well as freshman Jaime Galasso recorded the Bishops' lone point. Galasso was a 6-4, 6-3 win over SU's Colleen Hightower at #1 singles and is now 5-3 at the top spot this season.

Both the men and women return to action on Saturday when Bridgewater College visits the NCWC Tennis Complex. Saturday's matches are slated to begin at 1:00 p.m.