ROCKY MOUNT, NC – The Wilkes University women's tennis team opened the 2021 NCAA Division III Championships in fine fashion posting a solid 5-0 victory over Penn State Harrisburg in the first round on Friday afternoon at the Vernon Bradley Complex on the campus of North Carolina Wesleyan College.
 
Wilkes remains perfect on the year improving to 14-0 overall. Penn State Harrisburg concluded its season at 8-1. It marked Wilkes' first NCAA win since 2016-17 when the Colonels posted a 5-0 victory over Johnson & Wales.
 
The Colonels cruised through doubles play taking a 3-0 lead within one hour of the match starting. No. 2 doubles team Sarah Malone (Williamsport, PA/Loyalsock) and Dagney Markle (New Oxford, PA/New Oxford) were the first to finish sweeping their match 8-0. Cassidy Greenman (Glen Gardner, NJ/Voorhees) and Alexa Cieri (Matawan, NJ/St. John Vianney) were not far behind posting an 8-1 at No. 3 to push the advantage to 2-0. Dasha Yakhnis (Verona, NJ/Verona) and Zoe Klein (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug) then completed the sweep of doubles taking their No. 1 pairs matchup 8-3.
 
Malone then opened singles competition with a 6-0, 6-2 win at No. 4 and Cieri clinched the match at No. 6 winning 6-1, 6-0.
 
Three of the four remaining Colonels held at least one set leads in their respective matches before the Cieri finish.
 
Wilkes (14-0) will now play top seed in the region University of Mary Washington (12-2) tomorrow (Saturday) at 4:00 p.m.