ALBANY, N.Y. - The Plattsburgh State women's tennis team soundly defeated the Russell Sage College Gators on Friday evening, winning 6-2 in their season opener on the road. The Cardinals won five of the first six completed matchups, securing themselves a season-opening win early in their competition. 

With the win, the Cards move to 1-0 on the season and will now look toward a matchup with Castleton in their home opener on Sept. 6 at 4 p.m. Russell Sage endures the first loss of the season and will next play Castleton on Saturday, Sept. 2 at 12 p.m.

Plattsburgh started their season well, as Jacqueline Svantner (West Nyack, N.Y./Clarkstown South) and Hallie Hurwitz (Beekmantown, N.Y./Beekmantown) earned an 8-2 No. 3 doubles win. Samantha Svantner (West Nyack, N.Y./Clarkstown South) and Nicole Svantner (West Nyack, N.Y./Clarkstown South) followed shortly after with an 8-6 win at No. 1 doubles before the No. 2 doubles pairing of Ava Carey (Nanuet, N.Y./Nanuet) and Jacklin Mitchell (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Peru) fell in a closely contested match, 7-9.

In singles play, Mitchell opened up the action with a 6-0, 6-0 win at No. 6 singles, followed by a No. 5 singles win 6-0, 6-1 by Jacqueline Svantner. Nicole Svantner then clinched the team victory for Plattsburgh, winning 7-5, 6-2 in No. 2 singles. Samantha Svantner earned the final win of the day for the Cards with a 2-6, 6-3, 6-1 win in No. 1 singles before the final match of the day at No. 3 singles with Sarah Benowitz (New City, N.Y./Clarkstown North) was unfinished due to lightning.