Auburn, Ala. – The Western Carolina women's tennis team returned to team competition for the first time in 2026, opening the spring season Friday against No. 4 Auburn and Liberty. The Catamounts posted close singles matches across the board, but fell to both teams in the season-opening doubleheader.

Sophomore transfer Mariya Dobreva and freshman Jenelle Roberts both pushed the Tigers in singles play, forcing extra points, but the Catamounts fell 7-0 to the fourth-ranked SEC foe. Dobreva rallied with a straight-set win – her first in a Catamount uniform – in WCU's match against Liberty, but the Catamounts were ultimately downed 6-1 by the Flames.

WCU (0-2) returns to action on Sunday, Jan. 18, against the Clemson Tigers, who shut out the Mercer Bears 7-0 their last time out.  

Match One: vs. #4 Auburn

The Tigers flexed their muscle on The Plains, recording their third-straight win without conceding a set to the opposition. WCU sophomore Hokualohi Lui and freshman Axelle Van Beurden battled with Ava Esposito and Eva Ionescu on the third court in doubles play, but fell 6-3.

Auburn won all six singles matches, though Jenelle Roberts and Mariya Dobreva held set leads in their respective matches. Roberts led 4-2 in the first set on the second court over Merna Refaat before the latter battled back for a 7-5, 6-1 win. Dobreva held a 5-3 advantage over DJ Bennett on the top court in the second set before falling 6-1, 7-5. The 7-5 sets were the first time this season that the Tigers were pushed to extra points.

Doubles Results:

1. DJ Bennett/Angella Okutoyi (AUB) def. Mia Miranda/Mariya Dobreva (WCU) 6-2
2. Ashton Bowers/E. Khairutdinova (AUB) def. Keira Stewart/Jenelle Roberts (WCU) 6-0
3. Ava Esposito/Eva Ionescu (AUB) def. Zoe Lui/Axelle Van Beurden (WCU) 6-3

Singles Results:  

1. DJ Bennett (AUB) def. Mariya Dobreva (WCU) 6-1, 7-5
2. Merna Refaat (AUB) def. Jenelle Roberts (WCU) 7-5, 6-1
3. #27 Ashton Bowers (AUB) def. Keira Stewart (WCU) 6-0, 6-0
4. Ava Esposito (AUB) def. Mia Miranda (WCU) 6-0, 6-1
5. Alice Battesti (AUB) def. Axelle Van Beurden (WCU) 6-2, 6-0
6. #119 Natalie Outcalt (AUB) def. Zoe Lui (WCU) 6-1, 6-0

Match Two: vs. Liberty

The Catamounts dropped the doubles point to the Flames, falling 6-2 and 6-1 on courts No. 1 and No. 2, to give Liberty the point. However, the team of junior transfer Mia Miranda and Dobreva continued to battle on the top court. The WCU pairing battled back and forth with Liberty's duo of Yoanna Radulova and Maria Turchetto, eventually reaching a 6-6 tiebreaker. The Flames posted a 7-2 win in the tiebreaker, sweeping the doubles point with the 7-6 (7-2) win.

Dobreva notched WCU's first win of the season, taking her singles match in straight sets on the top court with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Yoanna Radulova. Jenelle Roberts battled in her singles match as well, falling to Turchetto on the second court 7-5, 6-4.

Doubles Results:  

1. Yoanna Radulova/Maria Turchetto (LIB) def. Mariya Dobreva/Mia Miranda (WCU) 7-6 (7-2)
2. Milana Tsulygina/Daniella O'Neill (LIB) def. Jenelle Roberts/Keira Stewart (WCU) 6-2
3. Yee Ching Wai/Celina Joseph (LIB) def. Hokualohi Lui/Axelle Van Beurden (WCU) 6-1

Singles Results:  

1. Mariya Dobreva (WCU) def. Yoanna Radulova (LIB) 6-4, 6-2
2. Maria Turchetto (LIB) def. Jenelle Roberts (WCU) 7-5, 6-4
3. Deniella O'Neill (LIB) def. Keira Stewart (WCU) 6-0, 6-0
4. Yee Ching Wai (LIB) def. Mia Miranda (WCU) 6-2, 6-3
5. Milana Tsulygina (LIB) def. Axelle Van Beurden (WCU) 6-1, 6-2
6. Celina Joseph (LIB) def. Hokualohi Lui (WCU) 6-1, 6-3