WEBSTER GROVES - Webster University played its first dual match of the 2018-19 season here Saturday afternoon and the Gorloks suffered a 9-0 setback at the hands of Oakland City at Webster Groves Tennis Center. 

The Gorloks played at a disadvantage on Saturday as they had only four healthy players available for the match, so they were forced to give Oakland City two points by default in singles and one point by default in doubles. 

With the setback, Webster falls to 0-1 on the season, while Oakland City improved to 2-3 on the year.

In Saturday's match, the teams began with doubles play as Webster's No. 1 team of senior Sara Rice (Mahomet, Ill./Mahomet-Seymour) and freshman Emma Ferguson (Troy, Mo./Troy Buchanan) fell 8-4 at the No. 1 spot to OCU's tandem of Elise Thomason and Morgan Hamilton, while WU's No. 2 team of senior Hannah Muren (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon Township) and freshmen Navone Armstrong (St. Louis, Mo./McCluer North) fell 8-5 to OCU's team of Chelsea Doty and Hannah Wilson.

At the No. 3 spot, OCU's Keaton Whetstone and Jailyn Brantley won by default due to Webster's playing two players short. 

Meanwhile, in singles action, the best match of the day came at the No. 2 spot as Ferguson and Hamilton battled into a third set tiebreaker. Ferguson opened the set by posting a 6-4 win in the first set, before Hamilton rallied to post a 6-4 win in the second set to set up a third set tiebreaker. In the tiebreaker, the two players went back-and-forth until ultimately Hamiltion outlasted Ferguson, 10-8. 

In addition to Ferguson at No. 2 singles, Rice played the No. 1 spot in the Gorloks line-up and fell 6-4, 6-1 to Thomason, while Armstrong fell in straight sets at No. 3 to Doty (6-3, 6-0). 

Muren played the No. 4 spot for the Gorloks and she fell 6-1, 6-2 to Whetstone. 

Webster will return to action on Saturday, Sept. 29 as they host Fontbonne in a 12 p.m. match at the Webster Groves Tennis Center.