ONEONTA, N.Y. -- With a key E8 match with playoff implications looming on Saturday, Houghton women's tennis stayed focused to win 8-1 over Hartwick on the road Friday afternoon.

The lone loss for the Highlanders came in third doubles. The first doubles tandem of Elise Swanson and Catie Moore (8-3) and second doubles team of Erin Haley and Alicia Cline (8-2) earned wins as did Swanson, Haley, Moore, Cline, Tessa Brown and Maddison Soth in the six singles matches.

"The girls played a good match today. We stayed in control the whole way through and played with confidence," said Head Coach Tonya McGraner. "Hopefully we can carry that momentum forward into tomorrow's match."

The Highlanders now turn their attention to Saturday's matchup against Alfred University. The cross-county rivals, with identical 2-3 conference records, will be fighting for the fourth seed in the Empire 8 Tournament. Houghton is hoping to avenge last year's 7-2 defeat to the Saxons, which knocked the Highlanders out of an E8 playoff spot.

The match is slated to start at Alfred at 1 p.m., but the location could move to Houghton's Kerr-Pegula Field House, depending on the weather conditions.