MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Taking on a Conference-USA opponent on the road, Alabama A&M (0-2, 0-0 SWAC) dropped a 7-0 decision to Middle Tennessee State (5-5, 0-0 C-USA) in an NCAA Division I women's tennis match on Saturday, February 5.
 
MTSU would wasted no time as they took a quick lead through a pair of 6-1 decisions in doubles play. Lee Barnard and Noelle Mauro would defeat senior Jasmine Boyd (Marion, Ind.) and junior Neha Ghare (Pune, India) at No. 1 doubles while junior Camila Ruiz (Asuncion, Paraguay) and freshman Kennedy Ward (Hoover, Ala.) fell to Eloise Swarbrick and Zani Barnard.
 
The No. 3 doubles match would be left unfinished with Love-Star Alexis and Lilly-Sophie Schmidt leading freshman Deja Brown (Spring Valley, Calif.) and senior India Woods (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) by a 5-2 score.
 
Up 1-0 following the doubles point, the Blue Raiders would secure the match victory within the first three points of singles play as Schmidt earned a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Ward at No. 6, Alexis posted a 6-1, 6-0 decision over Ruiz Diaz at the third spot and Zani Barnard finished with a 6-0, 6-1 win over Ghare at No. 4.
 
Even with the match decided, A&M delivered some strong performances. Following a 6-2, 6-0 defeat by Brown to Muskan Gupta at No. 2, Woods battled against Mauro at the five spot before falling 6-4, 6-1. The No. 1 position would produce the day's best match, however, as Boyd rebounded from a 6-2 opening set loss to Lee Barnard to come within 6-4 in the second set to round out the 7-0 decision.
 
Alabama A&M has little time to rest as they will be back in action tomorrow, Sunday, February 6, at Southeastern Conference (SEC) foe No. 14 Auburn. First serve is set for 3 p.m. with live stats and live video available on www.AAMUSports.com, the official online home of Alabama A&M Athletics.
 
MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE 7, ALABAMA A&M 0
Doubles
No. 1. Lee Barnard/Noelle Mauro (MTSU) def. Jasmine Boyd/Neha Ghare (AAMU) 6-1
No. 2. Eloise Swarbrick/Zani Barnard (MTSU) def. Camila Ruiz Diaz/Kennedy Ward (AAMU) 6-1
No. 3. Love-Star Alexis/Lilly-Sophie Schmidt (MTSU) vs. India Woods/Deja Brown (AAMU) 5-2 UF
Order of Finish: 2, 1,
 
Singles
No. 1. Lee Barnard (MTSU) def. Jasmine Boyd (AAMU) 6-2, 6-4
No. 2. Muskan Gupta (MTSU) def. Deja Brown (AAMU) 6-2, 6-0
No. 3. Love-Star Alexis (MTSU) def. Camila Ruiz Diaz (AAMU) 6-1, 6-0
No. 4. Zani Barnard (MTSU) def. Neha Ghare (AAMU) 6-0, 6-1
No. 5. Noelle Mauro (MTSU) def. India Woods (AAMU) 6-4, 6-1
No. 6. Lilly-Sophie Schmidt (MTSU) def. Kennedy Ward (AAMU) 6-0, 6-0
Order of Finish: 6, 3, 4, 2, 5, 1