CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The University of Charleston women's tennis team kicked off the fall season in impressive fashion, securing back-to-back victories over Walsh and Cedarville. The Golden Eagles opened with a decisive 6-1 win over Walsh and followed it up with a hard-fought 5-2 victory over Cedarville, moving to 2-0 on the season.
How it Happened: UCWV vs. Walsh University
The Charleston Golden Eagles hosted the Walsh Cavaliers in the fall season opener. UC looked determined to recapture the momentum gained in the Spring by getting the 6-1 win over Walsh.
In doubles play, the Cavaliers started off fast, gaining an advantage on two of the three doubles courts. At second doubles,
Michelle Connor and
Sara Martinez continue their strong fall season performance with a 6-1 win over Chmir and Ivashchuk. Charleston, needing only one more court to secure the doubles point, would have to turn to third doubles after Starke and Abildayeva from Walsh win a thrilling set 7-6 (7-5) over UC's
Sofiia Krasikova and
Filippa Larsson. With the doubles point uncertain,
Riva Hondiashvili and
Claudia Pastor, come up clutch for your Golden Eagles with a 7-6 (7-1) win over Kibler and Laarmann securing the doubles point and giving UC a 1-0 lead.
Onto Singles, the golden eagles looked to suppress any comeback effort from the Cavaliers. Connor keeps the momentum on UC's side with a dominant 6-1 6-3 performance over Walsh's Chmir and Martinez would finish soon after with a 7-5 6-3 win over Padberg. UC, now with a 3-0 lead, was looking for one more court to put away the Cavaliers but Walsh wouldn't go down without a fight. Abildayena would take down Filippa Larsson 6-3 7-5 to make the score 3-1. Krassikova would clinch the match, winning 3-6 6-3 7-5 in a thrilling match on number 1 singles. Hondiashvili and Pastor would take care of business, both winning 6-0 6-1 and 6-3 6-1 to reach a final score of 6-1 and move Charleston to 1-0 on the new year.
How it Happened: UCWV vs. Cedarville University
The Golden Eagles were back in action against Cedarville in the last home match of the fall semester.
Doubles point would belong to the Golden Eagles after Martinez and Larsson down Cedarvilles Park and Ivanikhina, winning 6-1, and Pastor and Hirzberger would win 6-3 in a good showing in their first match as a pair. Cedarvilles Monson and Curci-Micieli would win third doubles over Anna Gymnander and Emma Leveque 6-4. But UC would still capture the doubles point and a 1-0 lead heading into singles.
In singles Pastor would get UC a 2-0 lead after winning 6-1 6-1 over Bobula. But Cedarville would level the match 2-2 after Ivanikhina would defeat Riva Hondiashvili 6-4 6-4 in what was a thrilling match; and Guzic would take down Anna Gymnander 6-4 6-4 . With the match up in the air both teams only need to win 2 courts to win the match; Larsson would win her match over Parke 7-6 (3) 7-5 in what was an amazing match from both players. Leveque would end up clinching the match for UC with a 6-4 6-1 win in her first ever college match vs Monson; Hirzberger would finish soon after with a nice 6-1 6-2 win over Curci Micieli.
With this win, Charleston moves to 2-0 on the year and looks to finish the fall semester strong as the team travels to North Carolina in a couple weeks.
