WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson women's tennis team (7-1) continued their strong start to the season with a 6-1 win against the Division II West Liberty Hilltoppers (0-1). This victory marks the Presidents best start to a season since the 2015 year where W&J started 8-1.
 
The Presidents continued right where they left off from the last match, taking all three doubles matches to claim the first team point, 1-0.  Freshmen Bella Graham (Altoona, Pa./Altoona Area) and Maya Hamade (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper Saint Clair) opened up the doubles wins with a 6-3 victory at No. 2 doubles.  Junior captain Claire Loomis (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) and freshman Keiran Moorhead (Canonsburg, Pa./Peters Township) clinched the doubles point with a 6-3 victory at the No. 1 doubles position.  Finally, sophomore Mackenzie Gumto (Renfrew, Pa./Knoch) and freshman Austyn Paugh (Jane Lew, W.Va./Notre Dame) secured the sweep with a 6-3 at the No. 3 position.
 
The Presidents maintained control of the contest in singles.  Moorhead continued her successful form with a 6-3, 6-4 win at the No. 3 position.  Graham battled her way to a 6-3,  4-6, 6-1 win at the No. 2 spot.  Hamade stayed undefeated in singles play with a 6-0, 6-2 win to clinch the contest for the Presidents.  Also getting wins for the Presidents were Sophomore Paisley Cole (Smyrna, Del./Smyrna) in a third-set super tiebreak at No. 5 singles, and Paugh also stayed undefeated at the No. 6 position. Hamade holds a 8-0 singles record while Paugh owns a 7-0 singles record on the season.
 
The Presidents return to PAC play Wednesday (Oct. 1) when they take on the Westminster Titans.  Doubles matches will begin from the Janet Swanson Tennis Center at 4:00 p.m., and singles matches will follow afterwards.