WORCESTER, Mass. – The Clark University Cougars women's tennis team defeated the Worcester State Lancers 7-2 in a tennis match Thursday evening at the Corash Tennis Courts on the campus of Clark.

Worcester State started out strong, scoring two points in doubles competition, but struggled to keep up the pace in the singles competition, as the Cougars swept the Lancers 6-0.

Scoring the two points for the Lancers during doubles competition were duo sophomores Nathalie Khafaga (Auburn, Mass.) and Rachel Green (Worcester, Mass.) who defeated Clark's Phoebe Hughs (Parkland, Fla.) and Adrien Horowitz (Arvada, Colo.) 8-3. Sophomore Alexis Silk (Greenfield, Mass.) and senior Cassandra Goncalves (Ludlow, Mass.) swept the Clark pair, Amy Fallon (Derby, England) and Rebecca Kravetz (Wayland, Mass.), in their doubles match 8-0.

Up 2-1, the Lancers then entered singles competition where they needed to stay on their toes and increase the lead to a wider margin. Though, the Lancers struggled as Clark's singles competitors brought their A game, and swept for the 7-2 win.

Worcester State's fifth and sixth spot competitors were the ones who held the closest sets. Worcester State's Green and Clark's Kravetz each scored a 4-6 game, from where Kravetz came through and pulled off the tiebreaker.

Sophomore Olivia Budney (Webster, Mass.) held singles opponent Misa Mai (Sanford, Maine) to no points in the first set, but fell behind in the second two, in turn adding to Clark's overall points.

With the loss, Worcester State drops down to .500 (4-4), while Clark moves up to 5-4. This weekend the Lancers tennis team will compete against Massachusetts State Athletic Conference opponent, Bridgewater State at Wachusett Regional High School for their third home match of the season.

Singles Competition

1. Isabelle Long (CLK) def. Shelby Jankins (WSU) 6-2, 6-1
2. Emily Shuman (CLK) def. Megan Shepard (WSU) 6-1, 6-1
3. Phoebe Hughes (CLK) def. Alexis Silk (WSU) 6-3, 6-1
4. Adrien Horowitz (CLK) def. Nathalie Khafaga (WSU) 6-1, 6-1
5. Rebecca Kravetz (CLK) def. Rachel Green (WSU) 6-4, 4-6, 3-2
6. Misa Mai (CLK) def. Olivia Budney (WSU) 0-6, 6-2, 6-2

Doubles Competition

1. Isabelle Long/Emily Shuman (CLK) def. Shelby Jankins/Megan Shepard (WSU) 8-3
2. Nathalie Khafaga/Rachel Green (WSU) def. Phoebe Hughs/Adrien Horowitz (CLK) 8-3
3. Alexis Silk/Cassandra Gonclaves (WSU) def. Amy Fallon/Rebecca Kravetz (CLK) 8-0

Order of finish: Doubles (3, 1, 2) Singles (1, 4, 2, 6, 3, 5)