HUNTSVILLE | The University of Alabama in Huntsville women's tennis team picked up its first win of the year on Friday night, defeating Division I member Belmont in impressive fashion with a 5-2 win in Huntsville. The Chargers move to 1-4 on the year, while Belmont slips to 2-3.
 
The match was played under Division I rules, and so the Chargers won the doubles point after winning two of the three matches.
 
Cristina Cabanas and Madison Gulick gave UAH its first win in doubles play, winning at the third position 6-4, and the hosts then clinched the point to go up 1-0 in the match as Aniek Remmerswaal and Marta Briega teamed up for a 7-6 (4) victory at No. 2 doubles.
 
Pivoting to singles play, UAH went ahead 2-0 when at the sixth position Briega was a 6-4, 6-3 winner, but Belmont proceed to pick up points at the No. 2 and No. 4 singles matches to even the contest at 2-2.
 
Marleen Gort put the Chargers back up as she won at the No. 1 singles, claiming a 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 victory – the first of three points for UAH that would require all three sets to be played.
 
With her team ahead 3-2 and needing just one point to clinch the match against the Ohio Valley Conference team, Cabanas won the opening set of the No. 3 singles match-up 6-2 before falling 4-6 in the middle frame. She then bounced back and won 6-0 in the third set to capture the point and the match for UAH.
 
For good measure, Naomi Esteve finished off the match with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win at the fifth position.
 
UAH was slated to return to action on Sunday against Stillman, but that match has been postponed due to weather concerns. The Chargers will now be back on the courts on Sunday, Feb. 28, when the team continues GSC play at West Georgia.