CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. ? Austin Peay State University women's tennis team lifted a huge weight of its shoulders with a 7-0 shutout win over SIU Edwardsville, Friday. Austin Peay improved to 1-11 while SIUE falls to 4-9.

After dropping their first 11 matches, the Lady Govs were up against more than just the Cougars of SIU Edwardsville. Winning the doubles point had become a necessity for success and that proved true, Friday.

Mariana Pagan teamed with Yuki Nakamura to win their third straight No. 1 doubles match, 8-4, over Ali Wulfers and Kelsey Laird. The No. 2 doubles matched saw Michelle Liew and Brittany Hays take an 8-2 win over Stephanie Clark and Amanda Niebur.

For the second straight match, Austin Peay had taken the doubles point and this time had to carry that momentum into the singles competition. Things got off to a good start as Pagan trounced Maggie Boeckman at No. 1, allowing only one game to the Cougars.

From there, everything fell into place as the Lady Govs won straight set matches at No. 2, 3 and 4 singles. Hays, meanwhile, dropped the opening set, at No. 5, to Niebur, but rebounded to win the tiebreaker and ensure the shutout.

Austin Peay returns to action with a 10 a.m., Saturday, Ohio Valley Conference match against Eastern Illinois, in Clarksville.


Austin Peay 7, SIU Edwardsville 0
 Singles competition
1. PAGAN, Mariana (APSUW) def. BOECKMAN, Maggie (SIUEW) 6-1, 6-0
2. LIEW, Michelle (APSUW) def. WULFERS, Ali (SIUEW) 6-2, 6-0
3. NAKAMURA, Yuki (APSUW) def. LAIRD, Kelsey (SIUEW) 6-2, 6-4
4. GEORGAKOPOULOS, Demi (APSUW) def. CLARK, Stephanie (SIUEW) 6-4, 6-4
5. HAYS, Brittany (APSUW) def. NIEBUR, Amanda (SIUEW) 4-6, 6-2, 10-6
6. PYLE, Alexandria (APSUW) def. No player (SIUEW), by default

 Doubles competition
1. PAGAN, Mariana/NAKAMURA, Yuki (APSUW) def. WULFERS, Ali/LAIRD, Kelsey (SIUEW) 8-4
2. LIEW, Michelle/HAYS, Brittany (APSUW) def. CLARK, Stephanie/NIEBUR, Amanda (SIUEW) 8-2


-AP-