Chapel Hill, N.C. – The Western Carolina women's tennis team returns after several outstanding performances at the 2025 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) DI Women's Carolina Regional Championships. All six Catamounts competed at the Chewning Tennis Center, with WCU posting an overall record of 7-5 in singles play.
Sophomore Colorado State transfer Mariya Dobreva led the Catamounts with a 3-1 singles record and partnered with junior transfer Mia Miranda for WCU's sole doubles victory over the weekend, battling for an 8-7 (7-3) win over the pairing of Francisca Laundes and Aida Maria Mitrache from Coastal Carolina to advance to the Round of 32.
Dobreva became the first Catamount to advance to the semifinals in any bracket at the ITA regionals, pushing through the Open Consolation bracket all the way to the semifinals. She gritted through a three-set win over Campbell's Hayley Glen in the Consolation Round of 32, before advancing to the quarterfinals due to injury. There, she claimed a win over Wake Forest's Heidi Bulger 6-4, 2-1, with Bulger also withdrawing in the second set.
Dobreva was scheduled to face Furman's Macy Hitchcock in the semifinals of the event on Monday, but the Catamounts withdrew from the regional tournament on Sunday to have a few days of rest before the Southern Conference Playoffs this week.
Outside of Dobreva's outstanding run, sophomore Hokualohi Lui, freshman Axelle Van Beurden, Mia Miranda, and sophomore Keira Stewart all claimed solo victories for the Catamounts. Stewart won in straight sets over Davidson's Charlotte Calderwood by scores of 6-1, 6-1, with Miranda rolling to a 6-4, 3-6, 10-3 win over Campbell's Jessica Maras.
Lui and Van Beurden's wins came in extra matches, with the pairing squaring off against a duo of Elon competitors. Both wins required tiebreaker points, but the Catamounts won in straight sets by scores of 6-2, 7-6 (7-4), and 7-6 (8-6, 6-4 respectively.
Up Next For The Catamounts:
WCU will be back in action later this week as it takes on the first Southern Conference Playoff. Play begins on Oct. 24-26 in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Western Carolina Women's Tennis – Full Weekend Results:
Mariya Dobreva
Open Draw R64 | Lost 7-6 (9-7), 6-1 vs Daniela Piani (South Carolina)
Open Consolation R32 | Won 4-6, 6-2, 10-8 vs Hayley Glen (Campbell)
Open Consolation R16 | Adv. Vs Oziera Ahmad (Injury)
Open Consolation Quarterfinals | Won 6-4, 2-1 vs Heidi Bulger (Wake Forest)
Open Consolation Semifinals | Withdrew vs Macy Hitchcock (Furman)
Hokualohi Lui
Extra Matches | Won 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) vs Nathalie Marinovitch (Elon)
Axelle Van Beurden
Extra Matches | Won 7-6 (8-6), 6-4 vs Mairana Reding (Elon)
Mia Miranda
Qualifying Draw R64 | Lost 1-6, 6-4, 4-6 vs Sia Cairov (CoC)
Qualifying Consolation R32 | Won 6-4, 3-6, 10-3 vs Jessica Maras (Campbell)
Keira Stewart
Qualifying Draw R64 | Lost 6-4, 6-4 vs Jasmine Conway (NC State)
Qualifying Consolation R32 | Won 6-1, 6-1 vs Charlotte Calderwood (Davidson)
Jenelle Roberts
Qualifying Draw R64 | Lost 4-6, 6-7 (2-7) vs Oziera Ahmad (CoC)
Qualifying Consolation R32 | Lost 6-4, 5-7, 11-13 vs Olivia Hooper (Davidson)
Hokualohi Lui/Jenelle Roberts
Main Draw Doubles R64 | Lost 8-3 vs Jessica Maras/Sonia Piecynzska (Campbell)
Mia Miranda/Mariya Dobreva
Main Draw Doubles R64 | Won 8-7 (7-3) vs Francisca Laundes/Aida Maria Mitrache (Coastal Carolina)
Main Draw Doubles R32 | Lost 8-3 vs Romana Cisovska/Candela Yecora (Clemson)
Keira Stewart/Jenelle Roberts
Main Draw Doubles R64 | Lost 8-7 (7-4) vs Emma Shasteen/Arili Boshoff (Gardner-Webb)
