NEED TO KNOW:
Score: Piedmont 9, Huntingdon 0
Records: Piedmont, 16-5; Huntingdon, 11-5

DEMOREST, Ga. - The Piedmont women's tennis team dominated from start-to-finish in a 9-0 sweep of Huntingdon, taking the USA South West Division Championship in the process.

The win advances the Lady Lions to the USA South Tournament Championship, set to take place next weekend.

After an undefeated regular season in conference that included a 9-0 home sweep of Huntingdon during the year, Piedmont repeated the performance in taking the west division crown.

The afternoon began with a dominant performance in doubles. The underclassmen duo of USA South Player of the Year IMANI VINCENT and MELISSA GISH put the first point on the board with an 8-1 win at No. 2 doubles. Moments later, the lead was 2-0 as all-conference players ABBEY GRACE VENHAM and KARA LANDSIEDEL rolled to an 8-3 victory at No. 3. Finally, the No. 1 doubles team of seniors MEGAN WALDHEIM and MAGGIE MOODY were pushed slightly, but answered the bell and won, 8-4, to complete the doubles sweep.

Rolling into singles action needing just two lines to advance, it did not take the Lady Lions long to clinch the match as quick two-set wins from Gish (6-1, 6-1) at No. 6 and Moody (6-0, 6-0) at No. 4 ensured a trip to the conference title match for Piedmont.

This marks the second consecutive USA South Tournament in which Piedmont has advanced to the finals.

With the match in hand and conference rules dictating the remaining matches be played to the end, the Lady Lions continued to pour it on, earning two-set wins over the final four matches.

Quickly after Moody clinched the win, Venham delivered a 6-1, 6-0 rout at No. 3 to keep th shutout going. Not long after Venham's win, Landsiedel added a 6-3, 6-2 triumph of her own to put Piedmont up 7-0.

That left just the matches at No. 1 and No. 2 singles where Waldheim (6-3, 6-2) and Vincent (7-5, 6-4) were pushed but prevailed to blank the Hawks.

The 9-0 win marks the 10th time this season the Lady Lions have won in 9-0 fashion including their sixth straight in that manner.

Up next, Piedmont will await its opponent for the USA South Tournament Final, scheduled for next weekend.

TURNING POINT:
- Dominant doubles play by the Lady Lions erased all doubt as they took all three matches from the Hawks and took a 3-0 lead to singles.

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