CULLOWHEE, N.C. – The Western Carolina women's tennis team emerged with a 4-3 victory over UNCG on an unseasonably warm afternoon at the Catamount Athletic Complex. The Catamounts earned their first Southern Conference victory of the season on the strength of four singles victories.
WCU improves to 12-6 on the season and 1-2 in SoCon matches while UNCG drops to 4-13 and 0-4 in league play.
The Spartans grabbed the early lead on Friday after winning the doubles point thanks to victories on the second and third courts.
A 6-1, 6-4 victory by
Leilany Ipunesso at No. 4 singles evened the match and WCU grabbed a 2-1 lead overall following a No. 5 singles win by
Angela Perez, 7-5, 6-1. UNCG knotted the contest at 2-2 with a win at No. 6 singles.
With WCU leading the match 3-2,
Madison Schwarz clinched the victory for WCU with a hard-fought 7-5, 2-6, 6-3 win at No. 3 singles.
Isabella Sambola's 7-5, 6-1 win at No. 1 singles put the Catamounts in position to clinch the match. UNCG won at No. 2 singles in an exciting three-set tiebreaker.
The Catamounts are off until April 7 when they travel to Wofford for a 1 p.m. match in conference play.
For the latest information on Catamount women's tennis, follow @catamounts or @catamountTennis on Twitter or go to
www.CatamountSports.com. In-match updates can be found on the Catamount women's tennis official tennis Twitter page.
Tennis Match Results
UNCG vs Western Carolina
3/24/2023 at Cullowhee, N.C.
(Catamount Athletic Complex)
Western Carolina 4, UNCG 3
Singles competition
1.
Isabella Sambola (WCU) def. Hanna Giddings (UNCG) 7-5, 6-1
2. Arina Babkova (UNCG) def.
Jade Groen (WCU) 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-5), 11-9
3.
Madison Schwarz (WCU) def. Olivia Gallagher (UNCG) 7-5, 2-6, 6-3
4.
Leilany Ipunesso (WCU) def. Juliana Craft (UNCG) 6-1, 6-4
5.
Angela Perez (WCU) def. Alexandra Dodashev (UNCG) 7-5, 6-1
6. Raegan Mitchell (UNCG) def.
Andrea Redondo (WCU) 6-4, 6-2
Doubles competition
1.
Madison Schwarz/
Angela Perez (WCU) def. Arina Babkova/Alexandra Dodashev (UNCG) 6-4
2. Hanna Giddings/Juliana Craft (UNCG) def.
Isabella Sambola/
Chloe Schwarz (WCU) 6-4
3. Olivia Gallagher/Raegan Mitchell (UNCG) def.
Jade Groen/
Andrea Redondo (WCU) 6-3
Match Notes:
UNCG 4-13, 0-4
Western Carolina 12-6, 1-2
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (4,5,6,1,3,2)
