DeLand, Fla. - The Stetson women's tennis team (1-0) started its spring season with a 6-1 victory over Florida A&M (0-3) on Saturday afternoon at the Mandy Stoll Tennis Center.  Five Hatters were double winners on the day.

The Hatters got off to a strong start by taking the doubles point, winning all three of the doubles matches. Sophomore Diana Bukajeva (Riga, Latvia) and junior Jen Miller (Tampa, Fla.) finished first, defeating Britney Dean and Shani Williams 8-5 on Court 3. Stetson then clinched the doubles point when junior Sara Lazarevic (Calgary, Alta.) and sophomore MayaBlue Stauffer-McDowell (Asheville, NC) beat Kathline Durden and Bethany Holt 8-3 on Court 1.

Senior Shannon Gunning (Boca Raton, Fla.) and sophomore Lindsey Cable (Gainesville, Fla.) completed the sweep with an 8-4 Court 2 victory over Alexis Brown and Elysia Ortiz 8-4.

In the singles matches, Bukajeva got the Hatters off to a strong start on court 4, cruising to a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Dean. Cable finished her Lady Rattler opponent second, defeating Williams 6-1, 6-2. Gunning started her senior season with a victory on Court 3 winning 6-3, 6-2 over Holt, clinching the victory for the Hatters.

Stetson won two of the three final matches to finish, with Miller defeating Ortiz 6-2, 6-1 at #6 singles and Lazarevic defeating Durden 7-5, 7-6 at the top of the lineup.

The Hatters are back in action this Monday at Flagler. The match is slated to begin at 3:00 pm.

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