WEST POINT, N.Y.  - The Army women's tennis team won its seventh match in the last eighth outings and improved to 12-6 overall this season following a 6-1 win over visiting Rhode Island on Saturday morning at Lichtenberg Tennis Center. The Black Knights won the doubles point and took all but one singles match en route to a victory in the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

In doubles action, Army junior Anne Houghton and senior co-captain Kristin Beehler improved to 8-3 this spring with a convincing 8-1 win over Rhode Island's Pam Emery and Amanda Barletta at No. 1. Freshman Erin Colton and junior Annie Hang fought through an 8-5 second doubles win against Kristen Leikem and Brooke Hoover of the Rams, as the pair picked up their ninth doubles victory (9-4) this spring.

Rhode Island's lone doubles win came in the third flight, as URI's Tristany Leikem and Christen Cadigan outlasted Army juniors Michael Tollerton and Robie Verano, 9-7.

All six singles bouts were decided in straight sets. Houghton registered her 17th singles win at No. 1 this spring, leaving the junior one shy of tying her own record (18) for single-season singles wins in the top flight. Houghton, who has won four of her last five matches, defeated sophomore Kristen Leikem with relative ease, 6-2, 6-2.

Houghton's doubles partner, Beehler beat Leikem's twin sister Tristany at No. 3 singles, 6-2, 7-5. Hang, Tollerton and Verano all picked up wins to round out the bottom half of Army's lineup. Hang tied Houghton with a team-high 17 singles wins this spring, while Tollerton extended her win streak to five matches with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Barletta at No. 5. Celebrating a birthday on Saturday, Verano came up with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Hoover in the sixth slot.

Army is set to play its final match before spring break when the team hosts Niagara on Sunday for a 9 a.m. start. Niagara and Rhode Island met on Friday evening at West Point, N.Y., as the Rams swept the Purple Eagles.

Army - 6
Rhode Island - 1

Doubles
1.       Anne Houghton/Kristin Beehler (A) def. Pam Emery/Amanda Barletta (URI), 8-1
2.       Erin Colton/Annie Hang (A) def. Kristen Leikem/Brooke Hoover (URI), 8-5
3.       Tristany Leikem/Christen Cadigan (URI) def. Michael Tollerton/Robie Verano (A), 9-7

Singles
1.       Anne Houghton (A) def. Kristen Leikem (URI), 6-2, 6-2
2.       Pam Emery (URI) def. Erin Colton (A), 6-3, 7-5
3.       Kristin Beehler (A) def. Tristany Leikem (URI), 6-2, 7-5
4.       Annie Hang (A) def. Christen Cadigan (URI), 6-2, 6-4
5.       Michael Tollerton (A) def. Amanda Barletta (URI), 6-2, 6-1
6.       Robie Verano (A) def. Brooke Hoover (URI), 6-2, 6-3