NEED TO KNOW:
Match 1 Score: Piedmont 6, Transylvania 1
Match 2 Score: Piedmont 6, Wittenberg 1
Record: Piedmont, 9-0

ORLANDO, Fla. - Piedmont women's tennis began its spring break trip with a pair of 6-1 wins in Orlando on Sunday.

The first match in the morning saw the Lions unaffected by the time change, as they polished off a 6-1 win over Transylvania to move to 8-0 on the season before also delivering a 6-1 win against Wittenberg in the night cap.

Match 1: Piedmont 6, Transylvania 1

The Lions wasted no time jumping out to a quick 1-0 lead after doubles with a pair of dominant performances at No. 2 and No. 3. Just two days after picking up a win at No. 1, Sarah Row and Jordan Ballard slid down to the No. 2 slot and delivered a perfect 6-0 win. Then, it was seniors Alyssa McSpadden and Dannie Evans who clinched the point with a 6-2 win at No. 3.

Although the Pioneers were able to win at No. 1, the point was already clinched in Piedmont's favor.

Singles action saw Transylvania quickly even the score at 1-1 with a straight set win at No. 1. However, the momentum was quickly halted by the Lions, who won the five remaining matches to pull away.

Laidman finished first to make it 2-1 Piedmont, winning 6-3, 6-2 at No. 2 to move to 5-0 in dual singles matches this spring.

She was followed by Ballard, who won a hard-fought 7-5, 6-4 match at No. 5 to put Piedmont within one of clinching the match.

That clinch came in the form of freshman Caroline Morrison, who won two lengthy sets, 6-4, 6-4 to give Piedmont its eighth consecutive win to start the 2024-25 season.

In the final two closely contested matches, a pair of Piedmont newcomers emerged victorious, with Sarah Sanabia winning 1-6, 6-2, 10-4 at No. 6 and transfer Lauryn Leslie winning 7-6 (1), 6-4 to close out the team's first match in Orlando.

Match 2: Piedmont 6, Wittenberg 1

In a match that mostly mirrored the one from the morning, the Lions dispatched Wittenberg 6-1 to close out their first day of competition in Orlando.

Piedmont convincingly took two out of the three doubles matches to lead 1-0 going into singles, and then proceeded to win five of the six singles lines in dominant fashion, losing just at No. 1.

The Lions mixed up the doubles pairings in the second match of the day, with the senior Laidman teaming with freshman Sarah Sanabia to win 6-1 at No. 2 to clinch the doubles point after McSpadden and Olivia Carpenter did not drop a game at No. 3.

Although the Tigers were able to win 6-3 at No. 1 doubles, the point had been decided.

Piedmont was quickly within one point of clinching the match after 6-0, 6-0 wins at No. 6 and No. 5 singles, from Hollan Rabensdorf and Drea Robinson.

Then, the clinch came from Evans, who cruised 6-0, 6-2 at No. 2 to make it 4-0 Lions.

With the match already clinched, Carpenter picked up a 6-3, 6-1 victory at No. 3 before the Tigers were finally able to scrape out a point with a win at No. 1.

Finally, it was the freshman Sanabia who finished the festivities with a 6-0, 6-2 win at No. 4.

Up next, the Lions will be back in action in Orlando with three matches on Tuesday, beginning at 8 a.m. against Cornell College.

TURNING POINT:
- Piedmont won the doubles point in both matches and only lost at No. 1 singles both times.

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
- Two days after becoming Piedmont's all-time singles wins leader, McSpadden proved she is an adept doubles player as well, winning twice at No. 3 doubles with two different doubles partners.

HOW TO FOLLOW:
-  To stay up to date on all information regarding Piedmont University Athletics, be sure to visit PiedmontLions.com and connect with the Green and Gold on social media. Follow the Lions on Twitter: @PiedmontLions, Instagram: @PiedmontLions, and Facebook. To follow each Piedmont athletic program on social media, use the Social Media Directory at PiedmontLions.com or click here.