Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina women's tennis is back at the Catamount Athletics Complex for the final time this season as it hosts mountain-rival ETSU Buccaneers Tuesday (April 8) in a heavyweight Southern Conference showdown with postseason implications. The first serve is set for 2 p.m. on campus and admission is free.
Tuesday's match will be live-streamed on ESPN+ (paid subscription required), with live stats available on the iOnCourt app.
The Catamounts (14-7, 4-1 SoCon) come into the matchup after tying a program record with their eighth consecutive win. All eight victories have come against NCAA DI competition, with the most recent being a 5-2 decision on the road against the Mercer Bears. ETSU (11-7, 5-0 SoCon) comes to Cullowhee unblemished in conference play, carrying a perfect 5-0 SoCon record and as winners of their last four matches.
Tuesday's Tennis Match:
Western Carolina (14-7, 4-1 SoCon) vs ETSU (11-7, 5-0 SoCon)
April 8, 2025 | 2 p.m. | Catamount Athletic Complex | Cullowhee, N.C.
Watch (ESPN+): https://tinyurl.com/5c5zpd2n
Live-Scoring (iOnCourt): https://tinyurl.com/mr2knvnj
Players to Watch:
Two of the best top seeds in the Southern Conference will duke it out in singles play on Tuesday afternoon, as WCU's Jade Groen and ETSU's Daniela Rivera are expected to battle on the top court. Both athletes are 5-0 in SoCon play this season and are on lengthy win streaks. Groen has taken her last 10 decisions while Rivera clocks in with four straight victories, boasting a 9-2 record in her last 11 matches. Tuesday's meeting is the first between the two head-to-head in their dual-match careers. Rivera previously faced Angela Perez twice and Andrea Redondo in her last three matches against the Catamounts.
Outside of Groen, the Catamounts have hit their stride on courts two, five, and six with Isabella Sambola, Angela Perez, and Hokualohi Lui all 4-1 records in conference play. Perez and Lui are second and third on the team with 13 and 10 singles wins respectively, while Sambola has won her last five singles matches, including her last four in conference play.
The Bucs have depth across all six courts with four foreign-born student-athletes carrying 4-1 marks in SoCon play outside Rivera's undefeated record. Julia Milan (13-5), Ralista Alexandrova (11-6), and Ksenja Rage (12-4) play exclusively on courts 4, 5, and 6 respectively. The only court without a winning record for ETSU is court two as sophomore Jana Rovira has compiled a 4-12 record, though she's 2-1 in her last three appearances.
Up Next for The Catamounts:
WCU closes the 2025 regular season against the Wofford Terriers on Saturday, April 12 in Spartanburg, S.C. The first serve in the regular season finale is set for 2 p.m.
Locked into at least the No. 4 seed or better, the Catamounts will then head to Chattanooga, Tenn., for the 2025 Southern Conference Women's Tennis Championships on April 17-19.
