BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford University women's tennis team will continue play in its season-opening, three-match homestand Saturday as the Bulldogs welcome the Kennesaw State Owls and the Mercer Bears to the Samford Tennis Complex for a nonconference doubleheader beginning at 10 a.m. (CST).
 
Samford (1-0) will open the doubleheader against Kennesaw State (0-1) at 10 a.m., and will then square off against Mercer (1-0) in the nightcap scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.
 
The Bulldogs head into Saturday's doubleheader with a full head of steam after they blanked Austin Peay, 7-0, in a season-opening contest held Jan. 26 at the Samford Tennis Complex. In its decisive victory, Samford quickly claimed the doubles point to take an early 1-0 lead and then posted straight-set victories on all six singles courts to earn the 7-0 triumph.
 
The Bulldogs' doubles tandems of Stephanie N'tcha and Jessica Northcutt, as well as Carita Moolman and Adri Lochner were both victorious on courts No. 2 and No. 3. Samford's No. 1 doubles combination of Kristin Lewis and Emily Mallory didn't finish its match once the point was already secured by the Bulldogs.
 
On court No. 2, Samford's N'tcha and Northcutt topped Austin Peay's duo comprised of Vanessa Tavares and Alison Carre, 8-5. The Bulldogs' No. 3 doubles team of Moolman and Lochner quickly opened the doubles competition with a lopsided 8-1 triumph over the Lady Govs' Julie Covington and Jovanna Karac.
 
In singles play against Austin Peay, Samford cruised to straight-set victories on all six courts. Lewis, the Bulldogs' All-Southern Conference performer, earned a 6-2, 6-0 win on court No. 1, while Northcutt posted a 6-1, 6-4 triumph in the No. 2 matchup.
 
Rounding out the singles competition, Samford's N'tcha breezed to a 6-2, 6-4 victory on court No. 3, while Moolman defeated Tavares, 6-3, 6-3, in the No. 4 contest. Mallory posted a cool 6-0, 6-4 triumph over Austin Peay's Karac on court No. 5 and Lochner blanked Covington, 6-0, 6-0, in the No. 6 singles match.
 
Kennesaw State enters the weekend with hopes of bouncing back from a 6-1 loss at Chattanooga last week. The Owls' junior Alexandra Apostu tallied wins in both her singles and doubles matches to lead Kennesaw State. Apost first teamed with sophomore Virginia Stein for an 8-6 win at No. 1 doubles, before earning a 7-5, 6-4 victory over Chattanooga's Kaylene Chadwell at No. 2 singles.
 
Mercer heads into Saturday's contest boasting loads of positive momentum after earning a 6-1 season-opening victory against Alabama State on Jan. 26.
 
The Bears took two of the three doubles matches to take the opening point and the early 1-0 lead. The No. 1 duo of Isabel Dennis and Lucie Payrat prevailed in a 8-7 (4) tiebreaker against Pauline Denis and Melissa Telfer and Mercer's No. 3 pair of Roxy Barts and Amanda Bertani defeated Alabama State's Kayja Kraus and Mechelle Barton, 8-3.
 
Mercer dominated the singles flight as well, as all but one Bear took home a straight-set victory. Freshman Isabel Dennis looked strong in her first match in the Bears' top slot, beating Alabama State's Pauline Denis, 6-4, 6-2.
 
Payrat picked up where she left off last season cruising to a 6-1, 6-4 victory at the No. 2 singles position. Freshman Natalie Franklin, playing in her first duel contest of her collegiate career, was pushed in the second set by Alabama State's Melissa Telfer, yet was able to capture the 6-1, 7-5 victory.
 
Mercer's other two freshmen, Liza Klyachkin and Kealee Heffner, each tallied 6-1, 6-0 victories at the No. 4 and No. 6 positions, respectively.
 
Following Saturday's home doubleheader against Kennesaw State and Mercer, the Samford University women's tennis team will next be in action Feb. 9 at 6 p.m. (CST) as the Bulldogs head down to Auburn for a pivotal early-season nonconference matchup against the Auburn Tigers.