BLACKSBURG, Va. - Radford University was swept by area-rival Virginia Tech, 7-0 Saturday morning at the Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center to begin the 2003 season.

The Hokies earned the first point by taking all three doubles matches. The No. 1 team of Carolyn Kramer and Felice Lam defeated Jihane Najdi and Caroline Downs, 8-2. Elissa Kinard and Zdenka Videnova won 8-0 in the No. 2 match over Ashley Stevenson and Laura Dickinson, while Ginger Lowdermilk and Meredith Vincent downed Alison Lindsey and Amy Costello 8-0 in the No. 3 match.

Tech remained in control for the rest of the match, winning each singles contest. No. 1 Kramer defeated Najdi 6-2, 6-3 in the closest competition of the morning. In the No. 2 match, Kinard defeated Downs 6-0, 6-0, while Vincent (No. 3) and Lam (No. 5) also swept their opponents, Stevenson and Lindsey, respectively. Videnova won the No. 4 match 6-1, 6-0 over Dickinson, and Holmes notched a victory in the No. 6 contest, defeating Costello 6-2, 6-0.

They will face James Madison at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 19 at the Burrows-Burleston Tennis Center.

RESULTS

SINGLES

1. Carolyn Kramer (VT) def. Jihane Najdi (RU) 6-2, 6-3

2. Elissa Kinard (VT) def. Caroline Downs (RU) 6-0, 6-0

3. Meredith Vincent (VT) def. Ashley Stevenson (RU) 6-0, 6-0

4. Zdenka Videnova (VT) def. Laura Dickinson (RU) 6-1, 6-0

5. Felice Lam (VT) def. Alison Lindsey (RU) 6-0, 6-0

6. Meredith Holmes (VT) def. Amy Costello (RU) 6-2, 6-0

DOUBLES

1. Kramer/Lam (VT) def. Najdi/Downs (RU) 8-2

2. Kinard/ Videnova (VT) def. Stevenson/Dickinson (RU) 8-0

3. Ginger Lowdermilk/Vincent (VT) def. Lindsey/Costello (RU) 8-0