WEBSTER GROVES - Webster University opened up St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play here Wednesday evening by posting an impressive 9-0 shutout victory at the Webster Groves Tennis Complex against Fontbonne University.

With the victory, Webster improves to 3-6 on the season and 1-0 in the league and also snaps its five-match losing skid, while Fontbonne falls to 0-6 overall and 0-1 in the league.

In Wednesday's match, the Gorloks had its regular line-up back together on the court as seniors Sara Rice (Mahomet, Ill./Mahomet-Seymour) and Madison Watts (Rogersville, Mo./Logan Rogersville) made their return to action after missing all five of WU's matches in Hilton Head, S.C., during their annual Spring Break trip. 

Against the Griffins, Webster swept every match as they lost a total of 14 games, including winning 24 of 26 games in doubles action.

The Gorloks opened Wednesday's first home match of the spring season, by winning all three doubles matches, including Rice and Watts improving to 3-1 on the season following its 8-1 win at No. 1 doubles against FBU's tandem of Chloe Loehr and Jordan Sampson.

At No. 2 doubles, sophomore Maggie Federhofer (St. Louis, Mo./Lutheran South) and freshman Navone Armstrong (St. Louis, Mo./McCluer North) posted an 8-1 win over FBU's Andrea Wiele and Sarah Johnson.

WU's other doubles match at No. 3 was an 8-0 win by freshman Emma Ferguson (Troy, Mo./Troy Buchanan) and sophomore Liz Gerger (St. Louis, Mo./Francis Howell Central) over FBU's Emily Bay and Riane Tyus.

In singles action, Webster lost a total of 12 games, including posting a 6-0, 6-0 shutout win at the No. 4 singles spot by Ferguson. With her win, Ferguson improved to 4-8 in singles this season and has now won two straight matches. 

Rice and Watts made successful returns in singles play on Wednesday as Rice picked up a 6-2, 6-0 win at the No. 1 spot over Loehr, while Watts earned a 6-1, 6-0 win at the No. 2 spot over Sampson. Rice is now 3-5 on the season in singles, while Watts is 3-0 in singles on the year. In their careers as Gorloks, Rice and Watts have combined to win 63 singles matches and 72 doubles matches. 

Federhofer picked up a 6-1, 6-2 win at the No. 3 singles spot over Wiele, while Armstong won 6-3, 6-1 at the No. 5 spot over Tyus and Gerger collected a 6-0, 6-2 win at the No. 6 spot over Alexis Bracken. 

The Gorloks will look to make its two straight wins as they face St. Louis College of Pharmacy in a 5 p.m. non-conference match on Friday, March 29 at Tower Grove Park in St. Louis.