CLAREMONT, Calif. – Seventh-ranked Middlebury handed the Linfield women’s tennis team its first defeat of the season to a Division III opponent in impressive fashion, shutting out the 30th-ranked Wildcats 9-0 Friday on the Pomona-Pitzer Courts.

The undefeated Panthers (7-0) of Vermont, who compete in the New England Small College Athletic Conference, swept through doubles play with ease before taking all six singles flights from the Wildcats (9-2) in two sets each.

At No. 1 singles, Lok-Sze Leung, the top-ranked player in the Northeast region, blanked Abby Olbrich 6-0, 6-0. In two of the most closely contested matches at Nos. 2 and 3 singles, respectively, Victoria Aiello defeated Caroline Brigham (Jr., Eagle, Idaho) 6-2, 6-2 and Leah Kepping turned away Kaila Nip (Soph., Lahaina, Hawaii) 6-3, 6-2.

Dorrie Paradies earned a 6-1, 6-0 decision over Lexi Thomas (Sr., Redding, Calif.) while sister Katie Paradies took care of Kiana Nip by a score of 6-0, 6-1. In the sixth and final flight, DeeDee Myers defeated Kelly Watanabe (Soph., Kirkland, Wash.) 6-1, 6-0.

Kepping and Brittney Faber teamed at No. 1 doubles to defeat Olbrich and Brigham 8-1. In the middle flight, Leung and Anna Burke toppled the Nip sisters by a score of 8-1. Dorrie Paradies and Alyssa Puccinelli rounded out the sweep with an 8-0 victory over Watanabe and Thomas.

NEXT: The ‘Cats have a busy and challenging Saturday planned, with a 10 a.m. match against No. 9 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps followed closely by a 3 p.m. faceoff with No. 28 UC-Santa Cruz. Both contests are schedule to take place at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.