BANNER ELK, N.C. | The Young Harris College women's tennis team continued its dominant run through Conference Carolinas play with a pair of 4-3 victories over the weekend, defeating Belmont Abbey on Friday and Lees-McRae on Saturday to remain unbeaten in league action.

With the wins, the Mountain Lions improve to 17-5 overall and a perfect 12-0 in conference play.

Young Harris opened the weekend with a hard-fought 4-3 win at Belmont Abbey (19-7, 9-2 CC) on Friday afternoon.

The Mountain Lions secured the doubles point with wins at No. 1 and No. 2. Futaba Saito and Maud Scholten earned a 6-2 victory at the top spot, while Tuva Asplund and Callie Stanfield followed with a 6-4 win at No. 2.

In singles play, Young Harris picked up three key wins to clinch the match. Saito battled to a three-set victory at No. 1 (6-2, 3-6, 6-1), while Viviana Gomez earned a straight-set win at No. 4 (6-3, 6-1). Lexie Gillespie delivered the decisive point at No. 6, rallying for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE (vs. Belmont Abbey):

• Young Harris won the doubles point with victories at No. 1 and No. 2
• Saito and Scholten earned a 6-2 win at No. 1 doubles
• Asplund and Stanfield added a 6-4 win at No. 2 doubles
• Saito secured a three-set win at No. 1 singles (6-2, 3-6, 6-1)
• Gomez won in straight sets at No. 4 singles (6-3, 6-1)
• Gillespie clinched the match with a three-set win at No. 6 (4-6, 6-3, 6-4)

The Mountain Lions followed with another 4-3 victory on Saturday against Lees-McRae (8-7, 5-7 CC) in Banner Elk.

Young Harris again claimed the doubles point with wins at No. 1 and No. 3. Saito and Scholten posted a 6-3 win at the top spot, while Holly Ashford and Viviana Gomez secured a 6-2 victory at No. 3.

After dropping the top three singles matches, the Mountain Lions rallied in the bottom half of the lineup to secure the win. Isabella Ezeta pushed her No. 3 singles match to three sets before falling 4-6, 6-1, 3-6. Gomez led the comeback with a dominant straight-set win at No. 4 (7-6 (7-2), 6-0), followed by straight-set victories from Stanfield at No. 5 (6-0, 6-1) and Gillespie at No. 6 (6-0, 6-0) to clinch the match.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE (vs. Lees-McRae):

• Young Harris secured the doubles point with wins at No. 1 and No. 3
• Saito and Scholten earned a 6-3 win at No. 1 doubles
• Ashford and Gomez added a 6-2 victory at No. 3 doubles
• The Mountain Lions won three singles matches at No. 4, No. 5, and No. 6
• Ezeta battled in a three-set match at No. 3 singles (4-6, 6-1, 3-6)
• Gomez earned a 7-6 (7-2), 6-0 win at No. 4 singles
• Stanfield won 6-0, 6-1 at No. 5 singles
• Gillespie secured a 6-0, 6-0 win at No. 6 singles

UP NEXT:
Young Harris will await its seeding for the Conference Carolinas Tournament as the Mountain Lions carry a perfect conference record into postseason play.