EVANSVILLE, Ind. — The Bellarmine University women's tennis team started off Great Lakes Valley Conference play in ideal fashion as the Knights defeated Southern Indiana 6-1 on Friday at the Evansville Tennis Center.

Bellarmine (10-5, 1-0 GLVC) secured the doubles point after winning two of the three matches, and the Knights followed by winning five of the six singles matches against the Screaming Eagles (3-11, 0-2).

Senior Maggie Walroth and junior Ashley Jonathan captured a 6-2 victory over Lauren Hambrock and Alex Jamison at No. 1 doubles, and sophomore Aubrey Smith and freshman Madison Devillez locked down the doubles point with a 6-3 win over Shelby Braselton and Kylie Skepnek at No. 3.

Bellarmine commanded singles play. From Nos. 2-6, Jonathan, Walroth, sophomore Ava Ratcliff, Smith and Devillez won in straight sets. The Knights dropped two games or less in eight of those 10 sets.

Smith/Devillez notched their 14th doubles win together while Walroth/Jonathan have 13. Devillez and Smith both have 16 singles victories.

"We had to work really hard to pick up this conference win," Knights Coach John Mican said. "USI fought us tough all the way to the last ball."

Bellarmine plays another GLVC match at 11 a.m. Saturday at the University of Indianapolis.

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