WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – The William & Mary women's tennis team won its season opener for the third-straight year, upending in-state foe Richmond, 6-1, on Saturday afternoon at the McCormack-Nagelsen Tennis Center. The Green and Gold swept doubles and then won five of six singles matches to defeat the Spiders for the 43rd-straight time in the all-time series. Senior Marie Faure, juniors Ekaterina Stepanova and Oliva Thaler and sophomore Lauren Goodman all claimed wins in both singles and doubles as part of the Tribe triumph.
 
The Tribe made quick work of the Spiders in doubles to take the initial point of the match. The top tandem of Faure and Goodman blanked Brittany Boys and Gaby Rosales, 6-0, to improve to 4-3 on the year. Freshman Rosie Cheng and Thaler clinched the doubles point with a near flawless 6-1 triumph over Kiana Marshall and Lea Owens at No. 2. The Green and Gold pair improved to 2-1 on the year. Freshman Charlotte Madson and Stepanova rounded out the doubles sweep with their first win as a team, 6-4, over Richmond's Lyndell Giffenig and Ana Ramirez at No. 3.
 
In singles action, Thaler and Goodman quickly pushed the W&M advantage to 3-0 with straight-set wins. At No. 4, Thaler upended Ramirez, 6-1, 6-2, for her fifth win of the year. Goodman followed with a 6-2, 6-2 triumph over Boys at the third slot in recording her fourth victory of the season.
 
After Richmond picked up its only win at No. 5 singles, Faure clinched the team win with a victory at the top singles spot. The Tribe senior dispatched of Rosales, 6-0, 6-3, to up her season mark to 11-4.
 
Stepanova and freshman Natalia Perry rounded out the Tribe victory with their first dual-match wins in the Green and Gold. At No. 2, Stepanova defeated Marshall, 7-5, 6-3, to improve to 4-3 on the year, while Perry picked up her team-leading 11th singles win, downing Kelsey Williams, 7-5, 6-2, at No. 6.
 
W&M returns to action on Sunday, Jan. 22, hosting CAA counterpart Elon. The Phoenix enters the match at 3-0 on the year after a trio of 7-0 wins earlier this week. The league tilt carries a 1 p.m. start time from the McCormack-Nagelsen Tennis Center.
 
William & Mary 6, Richmond 1
Singles
No. 1 – Marie Faure (W&M) def. Gaby Rosales (Richmond) – 6-0, 6-3
No. 2 – Ekaterina Stepanova (W&M) def. Kiana Marshall (Richmond) – 7-5, 6-3
No. 3 – Lauren Goodman (W&M) def. Brittany Boys (Richmond) – 6-2, 6-2
No. 4 – Olivia Thaler (W&M) def. Ana Ramirez (Richmond) – 6-1, 6-2
No. 5 – Lea Owens (Richmond) def. Rosie Cheng (W&M) – 6-3, 6-2
No. 6 – Natalia Perry (W&M) def. Kelsey Williams (Richmond) – 7-5, 6-2
Finishing Order: 4, 3, 5, 1*, 6, 2
 
Doubles
No. 1 – Faure/Goodman (W&M) def. Boys/Rosales (Richmond) – 6-0
No. 2 – Cheng/Thaler (W&M) def. Marshall/Owens (Richmond) – 6-1
No. 3 – Madson/Stepanova (W&M) def. Giffenig/Ramirez (Richmond) – 6-4
Finishing Order: 1, 2*, 3