JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State women's tennis team opened up Ohio Valley Conference play Friday with a 7-0 shutout of Eastern Illinois at the JSU Tennis Courts.
 
The Gamecocks (6-6, 1-0 OVC) claimed their first league victory of the season by taking the first two doubles sets and sweeping all but one set in singles action against the Panthers (1-8, 0-1 OVC).
 
Malin Buechner and Carolina Bulatovic dominated Brittany Steven and Elizaveta Bukraba-Ulanova 6-1 at No. 1, and Harriet Hamilton and Charlie Croteau took the second doubles set 6-2 to claim the first point in favor of Jax State.
 
JSU breezed through singles action, recording four of its 13 sets with 6-0 scores. Buechner blanked Steven 6-0 in both sets at No. 3, and Bulatovic downed Bukraba-Ulanova 6-0, 6-2 at No. 1.
 
EIU threatened in the No. 4 contest as Addison Brown took the first set 6-3 over Dariana Prato. But the Jacksonville State freshman rebounded, taking the second set 6-0 and the third 10-3.
 
Hamilton's win at No. 2 pushed her team-best record to 10-1 for the year, while Croteau and the junior improved to 10-1 in doubles play.
 
The Gamecocks return to action Saturday, March 20 when they host SIUE at the JSU Tennis Courts. First serve is set for 11 a.m.
 
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