Charlotte, NC - The Johnson & Wales women's tennis team claimed the program's first ever match win with a 5-4 victory over Salem College on Friday afternoon.

The Spirits jumped on top early as their doubles team of Haley Gilley and McKinley Rice blanked Hannah Stokes and Miranda Montes 8-0. JWU fought back to take the second doubles match 8-3 as Maira Teurel and Eboni Montague defeated Alyson Gammons and Alyssa Consentino. The Wildcats also won the third doubles match by default.

Salem also defaulted to #6 singles match, but fought back to tie the score at 3 after Zakeria Pomeroy defeated JWU's Ginger Gibson 6-3, 6-0 in the #5 singles match, and Gammons dispatched Montes 6-0, 6-2 in the #4 singles match. Eboni Montague put the fourth point on the board for the Wildcats with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Rice in the #2 singles match. Hannah Stokes provided the winning point as she rallied to knock off Consentino in three sets, 1-6, 6-2, 10-8. Gilley provided some consolation for Salem, claiming the #1 singles match 4-6, 6-2, 10-4 over Maira Teurel.

The Wildcats are in action today at Piedmont University. Match time is 1:00pm.