By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University women's tennis team opened the Little East Conference schedule with a shutout victory Thursday afternoon.

The Bears defeated Vermont State University Castleton, 7-0, at the Rosen Memorial Tennis Courts to improve to 2-2 overall.

BSU is now 7-0 against the Spartans, including 5-0 at home, in a series that began in 2018.

It was the fourth of five straight home matches for the Bears to start the season.

BSU did not lose a set against Vermont State Castleton. The Bears broke a two-match losing streak with the victory.

Sophomore Emma Gibney (New Bedford, Mass.) was a winner at No. 1 singles, outlasting senior Stella Forte (East Greenbush, N.Y.), 7-5, 7-5, while sophomore Morgan Smith (Taunton, Mass.) won at No. 2 singles over Madelyn Nonni, 6-4, 6-1.

No. 3 singles went to sophomore Sarah Pothier (Rochester, Mass.) with a 6-3, 6-0 win over senior Ginevra Trevisan (Albissola Marina, Italy) and junior Samantha Bettencourt (Tiverton, R.I.) was a 6-0, 6-2 winnover over senior Sophia Hussak (Mendon, Vt.).

Sophomore Ava Alves (Taunton, Mass.) won at No. 5 singles over sophomore Andrea Rodriguez (San Sebastian, Spain), 6-0, 6-1, and the Bears won No. 6 singles by default.

The No. 1 doubles team of Gibney and sophomore Aislyn Kelliher (Plymouth, Mass.) won overForte and Nonni, 6-2.

Bettencourt and junior Fiona Clancy (Middleboro, Mass.) defeated Trevisan and Rodriguez, 7-5, at No. 2 doubles while BSU took No. 3 doubles by default.

The Bers are idle until Saturday, Sept. 20, when they host Rhode Island College at noon in a Little East matchup.

Vermont State Castleton hosts the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth on Saturday, Sept. 20 at noon.