WACO, Texas – The Baylor women's tennis team (2-0) started its spring slate at the Hawkins Indoor Tennis Center on Saturday, picking up a 6-1 victory over Houston (0-2) before powering past UTRGV (0-1), 6-0. 
 
The Bears started strong in each match, taking the doubles point. In singles action against Houston, Isabella Harvison shut out and swept Elena Trencheva after Danielle Tuhten opened with the 6-0, 6-1 victory over Sonya Kovalenko to give the Bears a 3-0 advantage. The Cougars got on the board with a win on court four, but Alina Shcherbinina's 6-2, 6-3 victory over Maria Dzemeshkevich at No. 1 helped the Bears seal the win. 
 
Mid-year transfer Lauren Littell earned her first victory as a Bear, securing the first singles point for Baylor against UTRGV to help the Bears take a 2-0 lead in the match. Tuhten grabbed her second victory of the day, before Shcherbinina's 6-3, 6-1 victory on court one clinched the win for the Bears for the second-straight match.  
 
"It was great to be competing again," head coach Joey Scrivano said. "Anytime you start a new season coming off the Christmas holiday, there's always that anxiety of how your team is going to handle it. We're really proud of the ladies. They did a great job and were ready to play. They've been working hard the last few weeks here in our preseason and it showed today. They played with a lot of discipline and a lot of spirit, and we're just proud of them."
 
The Bears return to action on Monday when they host Rice (10 a.m.) and DePaul (2 p.m.) at the Hawkins Indoor Tennis Center. 
 
RESULTS VS. HOUSTON
Singles
No. 1 – Alina Shcherbinina def. Maria Dzemeshkevich: 6-2, 6-3
No. 2 – Isabella Harvison def. Elena Trencheva: 6-0, 6-0
No. 3 – Anita Sahdiieva def. Laura Slisane: 7-5, 6-3
No. 4 – Azul Pedemonti def. Daniella Dimitrov: 6-1, 6-4
No. 5 – Paula Barañano def. Sophie Schouten: 7-6 (7-5), 6-1
No. 6 – Daniella Tuhten def. Sonya Kovalenko: 6-0, 6-1
 
Doubles
No. 1 – Paula Barañano/Daniella Dimitrov def. Elena Trencheva/Sophie Schouten, 6-4
No. 2 – Alina Shcherbinina/Anita Sahdiieva def. Laura Slisane/Sonya Kovalenko, 6-1
No. 3 – Isabella Harvison/Danielle Tuhten vs. Maria Dzemeshkevich/Azul Pedemonti, unfinished
 
RESULTS VS. UTRGV
Singles
No. 1 – Alina Shcherbinina def. Isabelle Bahr: 6-3, 6-1
No. 2 – Isabella Harvison def. Lea Karren: 6-1, 4-6, 1-0 (10-8)
No. 3 – Daniella Dimitrov def. Marjorie Souza: 6-4, 6-3
No. 4 – Danielle Tuhten def. Valentina Urraco: 6-2, 6-2
No. 5 – Brooke Thompson def. Daniela Rosenberger: 6-3, 6-4
No. 6 – Lauren Littell def. Kristyna Mamicova: 6-3, 6-2
 
Doubles
No. 1 – Paula Barañano/Daniella Dimitrov vs. Marjorie Souza/Barbara Martinez, unfinished
No. 2 – Alina Shcherbinina/Isabella Harvison def. Lea Karren/Daniela Rosenberger, 6-2
No. 3 – Brooke Thompson/Lauren Littell def. Isabelle Bahr/Yaiza Vazquez, 6-4