CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Golden Eagle women's tennis advanced to their first NCAA DII Women's Tennis National Championship with a 4-1 win over Salem University in the Atlantic Region II Second Round at Schoenbaum Courts on Tuesday afternoon.
Since joining the NCAA more than 20 years ago, Charleston has been on the doorstep of making the women's tennis national championship but have come up short on each occasion. It seems fitting that coach Shari Reed, in her 22
ndand final season as UC Women's Tennis coach, takes her Golden Eagles to their first ever national championship appearance.
The host Golden Eagles again took advantage of a shorthanded Salem squad, playing with just five players in the Atlantic Region. UC claimed the third doubles court without playing a point and the nearly unbeatable senior duo of Elise Edwards and Slivana Slusarciuc clinched the doubles point with a win at No. 2.
Salem had to surrender another point at No. 6 singles which put UC just two courts away from advancing the Final 16 in Altamonte Springs, Fla. Edwards was dominant at No. 3 singles, making quick work of Salem's Karolina Glowinska to get Charleston a court closer to NCAA Nationals. The young Tigers scratched back with a point at No. 5 singles from Kristina Vuksanovic but the elder Golden Eagles were unphased. Moments later it was senior Kristine Gegeshidze who sent the Golden Eagle team and fans into jubilation as she scored the winning point in a 6-0, 6-1 thrashing of Julia Piatek at No. 1 singles, securing UC's spot in the last 16 NCAA DII women's tennis teams playing in Florida for the National Championship.
The NCAA DII Women's Tennis Championships run from May 21 – 25, 2019 at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs, Fla. More details will follow as they are released about opponent and time for the championships.
NCAA DII Women's Tennis Atlantic Region II
May 14, 2019
#2 Charleston - 4, #3 Salem - 1
| Doubles |
| Pos. |
Matchup/Result |
| 1 |
Gegeshidze/Swann (UC) vs. Kunic/Glowinska (SU) 5-4 - unfinished |
| 2 |
Edwards/Slusarciuc (UC) def. Vuksanovic/Piatek (SU) 6-3 |
| 3 |
Simon/William def. Salem INCOMPLETE LINEUP |
| Singles |
| Pos. |
Matchup/Result |
Order of Finish |
| 1 |
Kristine Gegeshidze (UC) def. Julia Piatek (SU) 6-0, 6-1 |
4 |
| 2 |
Ana Kunic (SU) vs. Katie Swann (SU) 6-2, 3-2 |
DNF |
| 3 |
Elise Edwards (UC) def. Karolina Glowinska (SU) 6-0, 6-2 |
2 |
| 4 |
Silvana Slusarciuc (UC) vs.Iryna Rusyn (SU) 6-4, 2-3 |
DNF |
| 5 |
Kristina Vuksanovic (SU) def. Mathilde Simon (UC) 6-3, 6-0 |
3 |
| 6 |
Regina Lopez-Saucedo (UC) def. Salem INCOMPLETE LINEUP |
1 |
