Box Score SALEM, Mass. -- The Vermont State University Castleton women's tennis team clinched a spot in the Little East Conference playoffs for the first time, sweeping Salem State 7-0 on Sunday! The Spartans also secured their best conference record since joining the LEC. 

Castleton opened the match by winning two of three doubles matches. Brooke Hecker and Olivia Rutkowski fell 6-3 in the No. 1 doubles spot, but Andrea Rodriguez and Grace Pluff earned a 6-1 victory in the No. 2 spot. Maggie McKearin and Halle Hipple followed with another 6-1 in No. 3 doubles to give the Spartans the advantage heading into singles play. 

Hecker continued the momentum in the No. 1 singles spot, earning a 6-1, 6-1 victory. Rutkowski bounced back after dropping the first set 2-6, winning the next two sets 6-2, 6-1 to secure the three-set victory in the No. 2 spot.

Rodriguez battled for a hard-fought win in the No. 3 spot, taking the first set 6-4 before securing the second set in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (7-4). McKearin dominated in the No. 4 spot, winning both sets 6-0, while Pluff earned a 6-1, 6-0 victory in the No. 5 spot. Hipple rounded out the singles sweep with a 6-1, 6-0 win in the No. 6 spot, completing Castleton's 7-0 sweep. 

Castleton will look to carry its momentum into the postseason, traveling to UMass Boston on Tuesday. The start time will be announced on a later date.