By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University picked up its first Little East Conference win of the season Saturday afternoon.

The Bears defeated the University of Southern Maine, 9-0, at the Rosen Memorial Tennis Courts.

BSU (3-1) is now 1-1 in the Little East while Southern Maine played its first match of the season.

Bridgewater is 21-0 versus Southern Maine since the Bears joined the Little East in 2004.

Recording singles wins for BSU were senor Madeline Von Ruden (Ashley Falls, Mass.), freshman Sarah Pothier (Rochester, Mass.), freshman Aislyn Kelliher (Plymouth, Mass.), freshman Morgan Smith (Taunton, Mass.) and freshman Fiona Clancy (Middleboro, Mass.).

The doubles teams of senior Meghan Lotti (Stoneham, Mass.) and sophomore Samantha Bettencourt (Tiverton, R.I.) and Kelliher and Smith also won for the Bears.

Von Ruden (No. 1) defeated junior Muriel Lattin (Litchfield, Maine), Kelliher (No. 3) stopped freshman Makayla Morello (Westbrook, Maine) and Clancy (No. 5) won over junior Olivia Tabor (Ashburnham, Mass.), all by identical straight set score of 6-0, 6-0.

Pothier, at No. 2, was a 6-1, 6-0 winner over freshman Katherine Dallaire (Biddeford, Maine) while Smith stopped freshman Regina Pasi (Lewiston, Maine) at No. 4, 6-0, 6-1.

Lotti and Bettencourt, playing No. 1 doubles, defeated Lattin and Dallaire, 8-0, while Kelliher and Smith, at No. 2 doubles, won by the same score over Morello and Pasi.

Forfeit wins were credited to Bridgewater at No. 6 singles and No. 3 doubles

The Bears are home again on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. when they take on Albertus Magnus in the second of three straight home matches. The next Little East match is Saturday against UMass Dartmouth.

Southern Maine takes on Thomas College on Tuesday at 4 p.m.