LANCASTER, PA - The Franklin & Marshall College women's tennis team swept the doubles and singles matches to record a 9-0 victory over Dickinson College to open the 2005 Centennial Conference season.

The shutout marks the third straight for F&M as the Diplomats defeated Bentley and Drew in Florida during spring break. Further, it marks the fourth of the season for Franklin & Marshall as the Diplomats handled Lebanon Valley College 9-0 on September 19.

In addition, the win marks the 33rd straight by Franklin & Marshall over Dickinson as F&M now holds a 33-1 record against the Red Devils dating back to the two programs first meeting in 1974.

Overall, the Diplomats (5-1, 1-0 Centennial Conference) breezed to the win as Franklin & Marshall swept through the doubles matches.

In singles, #1 Katie Gaskins (So., Richmond, VA/Mills Godwin) downed Erica Tobias 4-6, 6-3 (10-5), while Barbara Bee (So., Millersville, PA/Penn Manor) defeated Emily Ruben at #3 and Marie Papalia (Sr., Chatham, NJ/Chatham) notched a 6-0, 6-0 victory at #2 over Amanda Kaplan. At #4, Beth Conner (Sr., Leawood, KS/Shawnee Mission East) dropped Melissa Nolan 6-3, 6-4, while Lizzy Denenberg (Jr., Wilmington, DE/Sanford School) handled Aubrey Swift 6-0, 6-0 at #5 and Christina Henkel (Fr., Hatboro, PA/Hatboro-Horsham) defeated Jamie Wolf 3-6, 6-3 (11-9) at #6.

Franklin & Marshall will continue the season on April 1 at Haverford College. Match time is set for 3:30 p.m.

F&M 9, Dickinson 0
Doubles
(1) Bee & Gaskins (F&M) def. Tobias & Ruben (D), 8-0
(2) Denenberg & Jenna Ishkanian (F&M) def. Kaplan & Wolf (D), 8-5
(3) Conner & Papalia (F&M) def. Kate Carta & Corey Korinda (D), 8-2

Singles
(1) Katie Gaskins (F&M) def. Erica Tobias (D), 4-6, 6-3 (10-5)
(2) Marie Papalia (F&M) def. Amanda Kaplan (D), 6-0, 6-0
(3) Barbara Bee (F&M) def. Emily Ruben (D), 4-6, 5-2, Forfeit
(4) Beth Conner (F&M) def. Melissa Nolan (D), 6-3, 6-4
(5) Lizzy Denenberg (F&M) def. Aubrey Swift (D), 6-0, 6-0
(6) Christina Henkel (F&M) def. Jamie Wolf (D), 3-6, 6-3 (11-9)