GORHAM, Maine - The Norwich University tennis team opened the 2020 season with an impressive 9-0 victory over Southern Maine on Saturday in non-conference action.

Junior Alexi Gilmore (Haverhill, Mass.) led the Cadets with a pair of victories at No. 1 singles and then teamed with sophomore Timothy Santy (San Antonio, Texas) to take the top doubles pairing. 

Gilmore beat Matt Henderson 6-4, 6-2 in singles and then beat Henderson and Nick DeAngelis 8-3 at No. 1 doubles with Santy. Santy won No. 2 singles 6-3, 6-0 over DeAngelis.

Senior Timothy Birnbaum (Mahwah, N.J.) won a marathon three-set match at No. 3 singles over Kyle Morin. He won 7-6, 6-4 and 13-11 in a pro-set to take the point in the closest singles match of the day. Birnbaum and Noah Stillman (Danbury, Conn.) also took No. 2 doubles over Morin and Shawn Gagnier 8-5. Stillman won No. 4 singles 7-6, 6-3 over Gagnier.

Sophomore Patrick Bulley (Adamstown, Md.) took No. 5 singles 6-1, 6-0 over Sean Greeley. Freshman Molly Twombly (Rockport, Mass.) won her inaugural collegiate match with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Brendon Croteau at No. 6 singles. 

Bulley and freshman Drew Kiernan (Shoreham, Midd.) took No. 3 doubles 8-6 over Greeley and Croteau.

Norwich continues its Maine trip to open the season with a non-conference matchup at Thomas on Sunday.