Cullowhee, N.C. – The Western Carolina women's tennis teams defended its home courts at the Catamount Athletic Complex on Monday with a 6-0 win over the Tusculum Pioneers. All five Catamount singles victories came in straight sets, including three 6-0 shutout sets.
WCU is now 3-2 on the season after stringing together three consecutive victories. Tusculum remains 0-1 on the season but has fallen in two Division I exhibition matches. The Catamounts improved to 6-1 all-time against Tusculum and 6-0 since 2016. The last three meetings have been WCU shutouts with a 7-0 result in 2022 and a 4-0 win last season to go along with today's 6-0 win.
The team of senior Andrea Redondo and junior Chloe Schwarz earned the first win of the day on the No. 2 doubles court with a 6-0 victory. They were followed in finishing order by junior Isabella Sambola and senior Angela Perez who likewise won 6-0 to clinch the first point of the day. The junior pairing of Jade Groen and Madison Schwarz claimed a 6-2 victory on the top doubles court to sweep the matches for WCU.
Leading 1-0 on the afternoon, Redondo was again the first Catamount to secure a victory in singles play, rolling to a 6-0, 6-3 win over Samira Butt on the fifth court. The 6-0 set was the first shutout for the senior Catamount since a 6-0 first set win at Queens last season. Groen recorded her third consecutive straight-set victory in a 6-1, 6-2 win on the top court to give the Catamounts a 3-0 lead.
Angela Perez, Madison Schwarz, and junior Dasha Osadova rounded out the day with a flurry of finishes moments after one another. Perez secured a 6-2, 6-2 victory at No. 4 to clinch the win for the Catamounts. Schwarz allowed only a single point in her court three win, while Osadova rallied from down 4-2 in the second set to claim the 6-4 victory.
Sambola was in a battle on the second court when play concluded. The junior from New Orleans rolled to a 6-0 set one victory but trailed 5-4 in a hard-fought second set when WCU clinched the match.
Up Next for The Catamounts:
WCU remains at home for back-to-back matches this weekend as the Catamounts host mountain rival Appalachian State (Feb. 8) and Presbyterian (Feb. 9) to close out a three-match home swing. The Catamounts then hit the road for a doubleheader with the South Carolina Gamecocks and the Wake Forest Demon Deacons on Feb. 15, with both contests in Columbia, S.C.
Western Carolina (3-2) vs. Tusculum (0-1)*:
Singles Results:
Jade Groen(WCU) def. Elodie Baechler (TUS) – 6-1, 6-2
Isabella Sambola (WCU) vs Ylva Frafjord Landa (TUS) – 6-0, 4-5 UF
Madison Schwarz (WCU) def. Thilda Danielsson (TUS) – 6-0, 6-1
Angela Perez (WCU) def. Valeria Diaz (TUS) – 6-2, 6-2
Andrea Redondo (WCU) def. Samira Butt (TUS) – 6-0, 6-3
Dasha Osadova (WCU) def. Katie Bradley (TUS) – 6-2, 6-4
Order of Finish: 5, 1, 4, 3, 6
Doubles Results:
Jade Groen/Madison Schwarz (WCU) def. Elodie Baechler / Ylva Frafjord Landa (TUS) – 6-2
Chloe Schwarz/Andrea Redondo (WCU) def. Valeria Diaz / Luisa Gerke (TUS) – 6-0
Isabella Sambola/Angela Perez (WCU) def. Thilda Danielsson / Samira Butt (TUS) – 6-0
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 1
