No one will accuse the UAFS women’s tennis team of not playing a difficult schedule.
            The Lady Lions played an exhibition match against NCAA Division I University of Arkansas-Little Rock last Tuesday and officially opened the spring season on Friday and Saturday with road matches against Division I University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff and No. 72-ranked Division I University of Missouri.
            UAFS split its matches this past weekend, beating UAPB 7-2 at Burns Park in North Little Rock, Ark., and losing to Missouri 7-0 at Columbia, Mo.
            The Lady Lions dominated the Golden Lions, sweeping all three doubles matches. Sophomore Amy Belanger and freshman Monica Pieratt highlighted the sweep with an 8-2 win in the No. 1 doubles match.
            Pieratt, who is ranked No. 28 in singles, junior Abby Whittemore, Belanger and sophomore Whitney Hobson all earned singles wins.
            Fresh off a win against No. 66-ranked Fresno State, Missouri won its second match in a row in its home opener. The Tigers also posted their first shutout of the young season, too.
            UAFS did take three games from Missouri in doubles play – all in the No. 2 doubles match. The Tigers tandem of Rachel Stuhlmann and Ashleigh Chiaf beat Hobson and Belanger 8-3.
            The Lady Lions were able to win nine games against the Tigers in singles play. Nina Pantic beat Pieratt 6-1, 6-0 in No. 1 singles, Christensen beat Whittemore 6-2, 6-0 in No. 2 singles, Rachel Stuhlmann beat Podunavac 6-0, 6-1 in No. 3 singles, Alexandra Clark beat Belanger 6-2, 6-2 in No. 4 singles and Jamie Mera beat Hobson 6-0, 6-1 in No. 5 singles.
            UAFS will return to action on Saturday when they play East Central Oklahoma at 9 a.m. and Oklahoma Christian University at 1 p.m. at Edmond, Okla.
 
 
WOMEN’S TENNIS
UAFS 7, UAPB 2
FRIDAY
AT BURNS PARK, NORTH LITTLE ROCK
Doubles
Amy Belanger and Monica Pieratt, UAFS, def. Lauren Valecillos and M. Vallacis, UAPB, 8-2
Abby Whittemore and Whitney Hobson, UAFS, def. Maria Cabane and Fabiola Cardoso, UAPB, 8-1
Masa Podunavac and Kristen Cox, UAFS, def. M. Arcos and Jarissa Greenard, UAPB, 8-5
Singles
No. 28 Pieratt, UAFS, def. M. Arcos, UAPB, 7-6, 6-2
Whittemore, UAFS, def. Cardoso, UAPB, 6-3, 6-2
Cabane, UAPB, def. Podunavac, UAFS, 6-4, 7-6
Belanger, UAFS, def. Vallacis, UAPB, 6-1, 6-3
Hobson, UAFS, def. Valecillos, UAPB, 6-0, 6-3
Jarissa Greenard, UAPB, def. Kristen Cox, UAFS, 2-6, 7-6, 10-7
 
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI 7, UAFS 0
SATURDAY
COLUMBIA, MO.
Doubles
Nina Pantic and Jamie Mera, Missouri, def. Abby Whittemore and Monica Pieratt, UAFS, 8-0
Rachel Stuhlmann and Ashleigh Chiaf, Missouri, def. Whitney Hobson and Amy Belanger, UAFS, 8-3
Maria Christensen and Annemijn Koenen, Missouri, def. Masa Podunavac and Kristen Cox, UAFS, 8-0
Singles
Pantic, Missouri, def. No. 28 Monica Pieratt, UAFS, 6-1, 6-0
Christensen, Missouri, def. Whittemore, UAFS, 6-2, 6-0
Stuhlmann, Missouri, def. Podunavac, UAFS, 6-0, 6-1
Alexandra Clark, Missouri, def. Belanger, UAFS, 6-2, 6-2
Mera, Missouri, def. Hobson, UAFS, 6-0, 6-1
Chiaf, Missouri, def. Cox, UAFS, 6-0, 6-0