RICHMOND, Virginia - The UNCW women's tennis team downed Drexel early Saturday and then fell to VCU later in the day on the opening day of the spring season Saturday at the VCU 4-1 Invitational at the Thalhimer Tennis Center.

        The Seahawks wrap up their trip to Virginia Sunday when they take on George Mason at 2 p.m. in Fairfax.

        In Saturday's debut, the Seahawks won the lone doubles match and swept four singles bouts to blank the Dragons, 5-0.

        Junior Christina Riley and freshman Alyssa Richie downed Elise Leizerovich and Nicole Pivonka, 6-2, 6-3, in the lone doubles match, while Christina Lee, Angie Sekely, Kelly Cameron and Casey Dashiell swept to straight-set victories in singles, allowing 12 games.

        Lee, playing No. 1, topped Sonya Stosic, 6-2, 6-2, in her first match of the season after being named First-Team All-CAA one year ago. Sekely cruised, as well, at No. 2 by crushing Zeynep Mafa, 6-0, 6-1.

        The Seahawks dropped a 4-1 verdict to VCU, ranked No. 35 in the Campbell/ITA College Tennis Rankings, in their afternoon match, with Cameron picking up the lone win for Coach Jenny Garrity's squad when she outlasted VCU's Salome Kvitashvili, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 11-9, at No. 4 singles.