The UTM women's tennis team opened Ohio Valley Conference play with a 6-1 win over host Austin Peay State University. Tennessee-Martin improves to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in the OVC. Eleanor Shearman defeated Elizabeth Whelpley 6-0, 6-2 in No. 1 singles action, while Jeanne DeWit downed Zarinah Brown 6 2, 6-4 in a No. 2 singles match.

Tennessee-Martin's Gayatri Ramesh won at No. 3 singles, while Ana Bakran claimed the No. 4 singles match. Olivia Shipley won the No. 5 singles match for the Skyhawk women.

The Skyhawks also claimed the doubles point as Shearman and Bakran defeated Whelpley and Alana Carere 8-2. In the others double match, Ramesh and DeWit teamed up to beat Brown and Jessie Mills 8-6.

"This was a great way for us to open up our conference season," said Skyhawk head coach Dennis Taylor. The lone Skyhawk loss was at No. 6 singles where Austin Peay claimed a victory by default.

The Skyhawk women will return to action March 7 when they play at Jacksonville State.

The Jacksonville State match marks the beginning of a spring break trip which has the Skyhawks playing five matches in eight days.

"That's not too bad for us," Taylor said. "If we had some injuries it would be another story."

Taylor said the spring break trip will present a lot of challenges against some very good teams.

The Skyhawks are scheduled to play Jacksonville State, Georgia State, North Florida, Jacksonville University and Stetson University.

There is a schedule change, the March 1 match against Southern Illinois has been rescheduled for March 29, while the match against Belmont scheduled for that s day has been canceled.