WILMINGTON, Del. - - In a battle of ranked opponents, the Wilmington University women's tennis team remained unbeaten with a 5-2 win over St. Thomas Aquinas on Thursday afternoon at the Delcastle Tennis Center.

Wilmington, ranked No. 32 in this week's ITA Division II National poll, moved to 16-0 on the season while St. Thomas Aquinas, ranked No. 46, fell to 13-3 on the season.

The doubles' matches went Wilmington's way, despite not winning all three. Carmelle Vial and Fenna Swaan started the afternoon with a 6-2 win at No. 2 doubles and then Larize Nel and Alva Norberg gave the Wildcats the doubles' point with a 6-4 win at No. 3. St. Thomas Aquinas was able to take the match at No. 1 doubles, however, defeating Neus Ramos Moreno and Jess Purdy, 6-3.

Those two would exact revenge in their singles matches though, as Jess Purdy gave the Wildcats a 2-0 lead with a 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 2 singles. St. Thomas Aquinas got on the board with a win at No. 1 singles but then Marley Trifunovic extended the Wildcats' lead out to 3-1 with a comeback victory at No. 6, 2-6, 6-4, and 6-0. Neus Ramos Moreno then clinched the team victory with a win at No. 3 singles, 7-6 (8-6) and 6-3.

Larize Nel kept the momentum rolling for the Wildcats with a win at No. 5 singles, using the comeback and the third set tiebreaker to get the job done, 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-2). The Spartans won the final match of the day at No. 4 to close out the scoring, 5-2.

Both the Spartans and Wildcats advanced to the NCAA East Regional Tournament a season ago and look to be heading there again this year.

The Wildcats have another tough competitor with their next matchup, as they take on Indiana (Pa.) on Saturday at the Delcastle Tennis Center. Like the Wildcats, IUP advanced to the 2022 NCAA Division II Championship out of the Atlantic Region. The first serve is set for 1:00 p.m. on Saturday.