Cullowhee, N.C. – The Western Carolina women's tennis team had several tight battles across the singles courts but ultimately fell to mountain rival Appalachian State 6-1 on Saturday afternoon at the Catamount Athletic Complex.
The Catamounts are now 3-3 on the season while the Mountaineers advance to 3-2.
The sole Catamount victories on the day both came on Chloe Schwarz's court as the junior from Adelaide, Australia battled for a 6-2 doubles victory with teammate Andrea Redondo. Then in singles play, she rolled in a 6-2, 6-3 straight-set victory on court three. With her pair of wins today, Schwarz boasts the best record for the Catamounts so far this season, going 5-1 across the singles and doubles courts.
Appalachian State (3-2) claimed the doubles points after victories on courts one and three as the pairing of Jade Groen and Madison Schwarz fell 6-2 and the Catamount duo Isabella Sambola and Angela Perez fell 6-3.
Singles play went in the Mountaineers favor as App State took a 5-1 edge on the courts to seal the match, though play was closer than the score appeared. Angela Perez and Madison Schwarz were embroiled in hard-fought first set matchups that resulted in 7-5 App State victories before falling in their second sets by the same 6-4 score. After falling 6-1 in her first set on court two, Sambola battled in the second before bowing out 6-4.
The top court lived up to its top-billing as Jade Groen and App State's Savannah Dada-Mascoll scrapped in a three-set match that ended in Dada-Mascoll's favor. Mascoll commanded a 3-2 lead in the first set before Groen rallied to take a 5-3 advantage. The Mountaineer scratched back a game before Groen took set one 6-4. On the backfoot again halfway through set two, Groen tied it up at 3-3 before Dada-Mascoll pulled out to a 4-3 edge. Groen continued to match her adversary set for set, eventually forcing a 6-6 tiebreaker though she fell 7-3 and 7-6 in the set.
App State's Yorkshire, England product carried her momentum into the third set, eventually taking a 5-1 lead. Groen rallied, cutting it to 5-3 but was unable to complete the comeback as App State claimed the 6-1 win.
Up Next for The Catamounts:
The Catamounts have a quick turnaround on Sunday, facing the Presbyterian Blue Hose with first serve at Noon. WCU then has a bit of time to rest before taking on Wake Forest and South Carolina in a doubleheader on Feb. 15 in Columbia, S.C.
Western Carolina (3-3) vs Appalachian State (3-2)
Singles Results
Savannah Dada-Mascoll (App) def. Jade Grown (WCU) - 4-6, 77-62,6-3
Isabela Romanichen (App) def. Isabella Sambola (WCU) - 6-1, 6-4
Chloe Schwarz (WCU) def. Taya Powell (App) - 6-2, 6-3
Naledi Manyube (App) def. Madison Schwarz (WCU) - 7-5, 6-4
Olwyn Ryan-Bovey (App) def. Angela Perez Barro - 7-5, 6-4
Alexi Cleveland (App) def. Hokualohi Lui (WCU) - 6-1, 6-3
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 6, 5, 4, 1
Doubles Results
Savannah Dada-Mascoll/Isabela Romanichen (App) def. Madison Schwarz/Jade Groen (WCU) - 6-2
Chloe Schwarz/Andrea Redondo (WCU) def. Taya Powell/Olwyn Ryan-Bovey (App) - 6-4
Ruby Broadbent/Naledi Manyube (App) def. Isabella Sambola/Angela Perez Barro (WCU) - 6-3
Order of Finish: 1, 2, 3
