Lexington, Ky. - Victories on all six singles courts led the Franklin College women's tennis team to a resounding 8-1 season-opening triumph over Asbury College on Tuesday.

Senior Melissa Sanders (Columbus, Ind./Columbus North) earned a hard-fought three-set victory on the No. 1 singles court. She forced the third set with a 6-4 score in the second frame. Then, Sanders picked up a 10-7 victory in the tiebreaker.

Classmate Chelsea Howell (West Harrison, Ohio/Franklin County) won 6-1, 6-4 at No. 2 singles, and freshman Karen Dringenburg (Seymour, Ind./Seymour) picked up a straight-set victory on the No. 3 court.

Senior Emily Roberts (Franklin, Ind./Edinburgh) won by identical 6-2 set scores on the No. 4 singles court. Freshman Rachel Rose (Springboro, Ohio/Springboro) recorded her first collegiate singles victory at the No. 5 position. Senior Chelsea Platt (Shelbyville, Ind./Morristown) picked up a 6-3, 6-0 victory to round out the winners.

In doubles, the tandem of Sanders and Dringenburg won by an 8-4 score at the top of the lineup. Howell and Rose recorded an 8-3 victory at No. 2 doubles. Junior Emily Helvie (Batesville, Ind./Batesville) and freshman Holyn Eldridge (Goshen, Ind./Concord) lost a hard-fought 8-6 match at No. 3 doubles.

Franklin returns to the court on Saturday, September 5, at 1 p.m., when it travels to Brescia College.