RICHMOND, Va. – Richmond took advantage of a shorthanded Longwood lineup and swept the Lancers 7-0 in women's tennis action Sunday at the Country Club of Virginia.
 
Already playing on short rest after Saturday's match at Navy, Longwood (2-2) entered the match at a further disadvantage with freshman ace Fallon Burger sidelined due to an illness. Junior Anna Pelak ascended to Longwood's top spot in her stead and suffered her first loss of the season, 6-2, 6-3, to Richmond singles standout Anna Abadias.
 
"We had to play a talented Richmond team without our No. 1, Fallon, who has been sick all weekend," said Longwood second-year head coach Bruce Myers. "It was a tall order with her out, and we had to really juggle our lineup without her."
 
Behind Pelak, Longwood's four remaining singles starters each played up one spot, including freshman Isis Gill, who played at No. 2 in only her second collegiate match after joining the program in January. Gill held her own against Richmond No. 2 Gaby Rosales, falling 6-3, 6-4 to the sophomore.
 
"Anna and Isis stepped up and played No. 1 and 2 and really battled, which was great to see," Myers said. "As a coach, I have a lot to take away from this weekend and have all week to make adjustments and improvements before we open our conference schedule Saturday against UNC Asheville."
 
Paloma Alatorre, Mason Thomas and Maria Coronel also fell in singles action with Coronel giving Richmond No. 5 Katya Salas a run in a 6-4, 6-3 loss. Alatorre also teamed up with Gill at the No. 1 doubles slot, falling 6-3 to Abadias and Rosales.
 
Up next for the Lancers is an early start to conference play with a trip to Big South foe UNC Asheville on Saturday, Feb. 13. That matchup is the first of another back-to-back weekend road trip which will continue at Western Carolina Sunday.
 
Richmond 7, Longwood 0
Feb. 7, 2016
Richmond, Va. (Country Club of Virginia)
 
Singles competition
1. ABADIAS, Anna (RICH) def. PELAK, Anna (LWU) 6-2, 6-3
2. ROSALES, Gaby (RICH) def. GILL, Isis (LWU) 6-3, 6-4
3. BOYS, Brittany (RICH) def. ALATORRE, Paloma (LWU) 6-0, 6-1
4. WILLIAMS, Kelsey (RICH) def. THOMAS, Mason (LWU) 6-2, 6-0
5. SALAS, Katya (RICH) def. CORONEL, Maria (LWU) 6-4, 6-3
6. GITMAN, Emily (RICH) def. BROWN, Alex (LWU) 6-0, 6-1
 
Doubles competition
1. ABADIAS, Anna/ROSALES, Gaby (RICH) def. GILL, Isis/ALATORRE, Paloma (LWU) 6-3
2. SALAS, Katya/BOYS, Brittany (RICH) def. PELAK, Anna/THOMAS, Mason (LWU) 6-2
3. GITMAN, Emily/RAMIREZ, Ana (RICH) def. CORONEL, Maria/WILLIS, Tess (LWU) 6-0
 
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (3,6,4,1,2,5)

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