Auburn, Ala. – Western Carolina women's tennis dropped its spring season-opening doubleheader on Monday at the 12th-ranked Auburn. Match one ended 4-0 in Auburn's favor as the two teams played to clinch, while match two went the distance in a 7-0 decision in favor of the Tigers who remained unbeaten through five matches.

All eight Catamounts (0-2) on the roster competed in at least one of the two matches as Isabella Sambola, Jade Groen, Chloe Schwarz, Madison Schwarz, Andrea Redondo, and Zoe Lui each earned the start in court order in the first match of the day. The WCU lineup shifted some in the second match with Angela Perez and Dasha Osadova sliding in on courts three and six, respectively.  

Junior Jade Groen nearly came away with a singles victory for the Catamounts, battling Auburn's 69th-ranked Ava Hrastar on the top court in match two. Hrastar earned a 6-2 set one victory, but Groen battled back with a 6-2 set two win to force the tiebreaker third, Hrastar escaped with the 1-0 (10-8) decision.

Junior Chloe Schwarz and freshman Zoe Lui put up stiff competition in their first singles matches in the opener as they went unfinished in the first match along with Groen. Schwarz pushed the 22nd-ranked Merna Refaat in the first set but ultimately fell 7-5 to open her sole singles match of the day. Her second set with Refaat was 2-1 in favor of Auburn when the match reached its decision.  

Lui was in a similar situation on court six in match one as the rookie battled fellow freshman and former five-star recruit Natalie Oucalt, but fell 6-4 in set one before their match ended deadlocked at 2-2 in the second set.  

The Catamounts went winless in five opportunities on the doubles courts with the pairing of Jade Groen and Chloe Schwarz coming the closest to a match victory for WCU on the day. The duo led the pair of Ava Hrastar and Angella Okutoyi 5-3 on the top court before the Tigers claimed the doubles point in match two with wins on courts two and three.  

The WCU tennis team is back in action on Saturday, Jan. 25, as it hosts the Young Harris Mountain Lions for the 2025 home opener.  

Western Carolina at No. 12 Auburn – Match 1:  

Singles: 

1. #69 Ava Hrastar (AUB) def. Isabella Sambola (WCU) 6-1, 6-0  

2. #110 Angella Okutoyi (AUB) vs. Jade Groen (WCU) 6-3, 2-3, unfinished  

3. #22 Merna Refaat (AUB) vs. Chloe Schwarz (WCU) 7-5, 2-1, unfinished  

4. Ava Esposito (AUB) def. Madison Schwarz (WCU) 6-3, 6-1  

5. Emma Tothova (AUB) def. Andrea Redondo (WCU) 6-1, 6-1  

6. Natalie Outcalt (AUB) vs. Zoe Lui (WCU) 6-4, 2-2, unfinished 

Doubles:  

1. #16 DJ Bennett/Ava Hrastar (AUB) def. Jade Groen/Madison Schwarz (WCU) 6-1  

2. #97 Angella Okutoyi/Merna Refaat (AUB) def. Chloe Schwarz/Andrea Redondo (WCU) 6-1  

3. Ava Esposito/Maria Garcia (AUB) def. Isabella Sambola/Angela Perez (WCU) 6-2 

Order of Finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (1,5,4) 

Western Carolina at No. 12 Auburn – Match 2: 

Singles: 

1. #69 Ava Hrastar (AUB) def. Jade Groen (WCU) 6-2, 2-6, 1-0 (10-8)  

2. #2 DJ Bennett (AUB) def. Isabella Sambola (WCU) 6-2, 6-1  

3. #22 Merna Refaat (AUB) def. Andrea Redondo (WCU) 6-2, 6-1  

4. Ava Esposito (AUB) def. Angela Perez (WCU) 6-0, 6-2  

5. Maria Garcia (AUB) def. Zoe Lui (WCU) 6-2, 6-2  

6. Julie Bedard (AUB) def. Dasha Osadova (WCU) 6-1, 6-2 

Doubles: 

1. Ava Hrastar/Angella Okutoyi (AUB) vs. Chloe Schwarz/Jade Groen (WCU) 3-5, unfinished 

2. DJ Bennett/Merna Refaat (AUB) def. Andrea Redondo/Isabella Sambola (WCU) 6-2  

3. Ava Esposito/Maria Garcia (AUB) def. Angela Perez/Dasha Osadova (WCU) 6-3 

Order of Finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (3,4,2,6,5,1)